


The Last of Us AU

by acheshirequeen



Category: The Last of Us
Genre: F/M, Retelling of Story with Original Characters, slightly different but still spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-20
Updated: 2018-12-19
Packaged: 2019-02-04 14:22:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 16
Words: 26,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12772905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acheshirequeen/pseuds/acheshirequeen
Summary: Balo Driskell never expected to survive with her mind intact through the bite, but when it happens? She finds herself on the journey of her life to get to the Fireflies.





	1. Boston

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU set in the The Last of Us game, with my friends characters and mine as the main characters. There is a good amount of differences, however, that being said, there WILL be spoilers for The Last of Us, so if you haven't finished playing, I advise you to turn back now. There will be POV change, no first person, but it switches between Balo and Ches.
> 
> This was posted on Tumblr during the Summer Camp NaNoWriMo, I can link it if needed. :)

Balo honestly wasn’t expecting Grace to come in injured, followed by two men. She frowns when she sees her sister, rushing to her side and moving to help the injured woman, glaring at the two trailing her. “What happened?” She questions, but before she can reach Grace, her older sister waves her off.

 

“I’m fine. Just a scratch Balo, nothing to worry about.” The blonde snaps at her, and Balo nods, stepping back to avoid the woman’s wrath.

 

“So what are we smuggling?” The one man asks, his hair was very light blonde, almost white. He has a slight accent, although Balo can’t place it. She’d never heard anything like it before. The man next to him was slightly shorter, with curly brown hair. These must be the people Grace found to get her out of the city. Balo gives them a curious look, they didn’t look like Fireflies.

 

Grace gestures to Balo, confirming her thoughts that she was what was being smuggled, “her.”

 

“We don’t smuggle people.” The curly brown haired man informs the Firefly leader quickly, “guns, medication, ammo, but people? No.”  He also had an accent, although his was much stronger, and different from the first man’s.

 

“It’s just to outside the city, and I have guns I’ll give you, lots of them. Medicine, and alcohol too. I just need her delivered to outside the zone, to the capitol building in the city, to my people.” Grace tells them, starting to tend to her wounds. The two men look at each other, the one shaking his head.

 

“Veles, I don’t think this is a good idea.” The brunet tells the blonde, Veles apparently. Veles looks back at Grace.

 

“Why did you ask us to do this? Why not one of your Fireflies?” He questions and Grace looks to Balo, sighing.

 

“What Fireflies? Haven’t you noticed the massacre out there? My people are dying.” Her sister says, “I wouldn’t be coming to you two if I thought I had any other choice.”

 

Balo frowns, she had been given strict orders to avoid the windows and doors, nobody needed to know she was infected and hadn’t turned. It hadn’t gotten any worse than when she had first been bitten, just healed up so it didn’t bleed. Normally the wounds were horrible, but hers?   
  


It was fine. She had waited to turn with Izzy, and nothing had happened. When she went to Grace, she had been expected to be killed, but her sister listened - at least enough to lock her up for a few days to test her theory - and released her upon realizing she wasn’t going to turn.

 

It had been an experience, no doubt about that.

 

Veles looks to the unnamed man, “Ivan, I think we should consider this.” He suggests, Ivan shakes his head.

 

“It seems like a bad idea.” Ivan says, before turning to Balo. “Why are we smuggling you?”

 

Grace answers before she can open her mouth, however, “She’s important, my little sister, and I want her out of Boston. That’s all you need to know.” She answers, and Ivan shakes his head.

 

“I was asking her.” 

 

Balo can see the look Grace is giving her, but she gives Ivan a small smile anyway. “My sister thinks it’s best if I go join the other Fireflies, it’s very important to her.” It wasn’t the full truth, not exactly, but it was all that the two men needed to know. 

 

Ivan and Veles look at each other, Ivan giving him a small nod, and Veles looks at the sisters again. “On one condition, I check the payment before we agree to anything. If I don’t like the payment, you’ll have to find someone else.” Veles tells her sister, and Grace nods.

 

“Deal. But Balo goes with Ivan, I don’t want her left alone.” Grace agrees.

 

“Deal.” Ivan agrees, giving Balo a small smile, and Balo hesitantly returns it, receiving a glare from Grace as she does that makes the smile vanish and slight fear appear on her face.

 

“Grace, show me those weapons.” Veles asks and Grace gets up to lead him out of the room.

 

\--

 

They made their way back to Ivan’s apartment in the quarantine zone, it was small, quiet, and Balo looks around the room in wonder. It was nothing like the military schools, and absolutely nothing like the room she was locked in upon going to her sister.

 

“You look as if you haven’t seen anyone’s home before.” Ivan jokes and Balo shakes her head no.

 

“I haven’t. I grew up at the military academy here. They’re not exactly nice.” She frowns, shivering at the memory of the constant beatings she’d get for being too nice.

 

“The Fireflies' leader's sister in a military school? That’s something.” Ivan notes, and Balo shrugs.

 

“Half sister, when mom died, dad didn’t want me. Said he already had one daughter, he didn’t need two.” Balo admits, her frown growing. “I got into some trouble, Grace decided getting me out of here was the best plan.”  She admits, “Am I allowed to sit?” She gestures to the couch and Ivan nods.

 

“Feel free, you don’t have to ask permission to sit here.” Ivan gives her a small smile, and Balo nods, sitting hesitantly in case it was a trick. Ivan sits next to her, picking up a book from the table beside him. “It’s going to be a long night, if you want a nap, I’ll keep an eye on you.”

 

Balo shake her head, “You won’t hurt me, right?” She questions, offering Ivan her pinky, something told her he could be trusted at the moment, and Ivan nods, taking her pinky in his.

 

“I promise. Now sleep.” He whispers, and she shuts her eyes, letting sleep take over.

 

\--

 

It’s dark when Ivan gently nudges her awake, and she freezes, an apology already on her lips before the situation comes back to her. 

 

“It’s time, Balo.” His voice is gentle, as if he can sense Balo is scared, and she nods, sitting up, carefully making sure her arm is still covered. Grace didn’t want the smugglers to find out, and Balo didn’t want to deal with Grace’s rage if they managed to.

 

“How do you know my name?” Balo yawns as she gets up, and Ivan shrugs.

 

“Grace used it when she was talking to you.” He shrugs, turning to Veles. “You ready, Veles?” He asks, and Veles gives him a grin.

 

“Of course! You should have seen the guns we’re getting, there’s a lot of good ones.” Veles says, starting to lead the way further into the house. The two men push aside a bookshelf, revealing a tunnel.

 

“Do you two sneak out often?” She asks, biting her cheek the second she realizes the words were said out loud, and Veles nods.

 

“Part of being a smuggler.” He tells her, he doesn’t sound mad, however, so she allows herself to relax. 

 

It’s raining by the time they get through the tunnel, to the outside of the zone, and she shivers, wishing she had brought a warmer coat. She just had a hoodie, and it wasn’t exactly the warmest. The men both had leather jackets, although she was curious how they got them. Leather hadn’t been made in forever from what she understood. It had been 20 years since the outbreak, after all. 

 

20 years and no cure? Balo could see why Grace thought her immunity was so important.

 

There were patrols going on, and Ivan and Veles were being careful to try to avoid them. It would be better that way, if they avoided them. Balo wouldn’t be tested, and killed, and they wouldn’t get into trouble.

 

The ideal situation.

 

They manage to get to the abandoned city with relative ease, without being caught. Balo can’t help the relief she felt at that fact. She just needed to get through the rest of the journey without being caught.

 

“So, this is what these buildings look like close up? They’re so big.”  Balo looks around at the buildings wide eyed, a smile on her face. Veles gives her a smile.

 

“You’ve never been outside before, have you?” He asks, and Balo shakes her head no.

 

“Not once, they don’t tend to let us out until we’re enlisted… and I feel like that was never going to happen for me.” She admits, an overly nice Driskell in the military? Yeah, the odds of that happening were slim.

 

Especially now, they’d kill her without hesitation if they knew.

 

The two doesn’t question it as they reach a building. “We’re going to have to go through this, the road road looks blocked.” He  Ivan says, it seemed like he was right, the road was destroyed and blocked off, it was probably easiest to go through the building. “Be prepared for infected.” 

 

Veles nods, and the three enter the building, greeted by the sight of a mangled body upon entering.

 

Well, this was going to be interesting.


	2. Closing Up Shop

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first Ches chapter, also I'm posting these all in a row, I apologize to anyone following me.

Ches hadn’t ever expected to see all military personnel roll out, but that was exactly what was happening currently. A swarm of people watching and cursing them out as they left and abandoned the zone.

 

She turns to her twin brother, “we’ve got to go find Effie. We have stuff to discuss.” She tells him. Jonah nods, starting to turn to make his way through the swarm back home. She follows after him quickly, staying at his heels in case something went wrong. It was for the best if they stuck together, after all, the crowd was angry, there was no doubt about that.

 

They manage to get their way through the crowd with minimum shoving and no fights, something she had to admit was a miracle and they reach their building as fast as they can, moving quickly to head to their assigned quarters. “Effie?” Ches calls out as they open the door. The fifteen year old comes out from her hiding spot, and Ches lets out a sigh of relief.

 

“What’s going on out there? There’s lots of noise.” Effie asks.

 

“The military are abandoning the zone.” Jonah shakes his head. “Cowards if you ask me. The Fireflies aren’t going to retain order like they do.”

 

Effie has a look of concern on her face, and Ches gives her a small smile, trying to reassure her. “We have to discuss what we’re going to do. If we’re going to stay here, or if we’re going to leave to find someplace safer?” She couldn’t help but wish her oldest brother, Logan was still alive. He had died from an illness a few months back - and in all honesty, she couldn’t help but miss him.

 

He’d know exactly what to do. She had no doubt about that.

 

Effie frowns, “this is where we’ve grown up. I don’t want to leave.” She whispers, and Jonah hugs the red haired girl.

 

“Effie, I think we should go? Without the military? This place is going to become pure chaos. Maybe we can find another zone? Someplace we can settle down where the military won’t abandon us.” Jonah suggests. Ches shakes her head.

 

“I don’t think any of the zones will let us in. We can try, but the likelihood of that is slim. Maybe the fireflies. They’re more likely to take us in, and maybe they’re more likely to protect their own?” Ches suggests.

 

“We can hope?” Effie says and Jonah sighs.

 

“I don’t like that plan much, but, if the zones won’t let us in. That’s better than staying here. Where do we even start looking though?” He questions, and Ches shrugs.   
  


“We’ll figure that out as we go? Maybe we’ll find a better safe place then there. But for now I think we should head out west. The east is a little more cramped city wise according to what mom taught us, so if there’s any chance of a safe place, it’s out there.” Ches tells them, and Effie smiles.

 

“I’m good with that plan if Jonah is?”

 

“It’s better than staying here, I think we should go for it.” Jonah agrees.  “When do we leave?”

 

“Tonight, let’s give the crowd some time to disperse and get packing.” Ches answers, starting to push the couch so she can get to the fake floorboard. “We’re going to need  _ them _ .” She hated the concept of pulling them all out, but it was going to be needed. They couldn’t just leave without weapons.

 

Effie frowns, “we haven’t touched them since we snuck out and Logan ate those berries. What if I don’t remember how to use them?”

 

“We’ll go through a refresher when we get out there.” Jonah assures her. “You’ll remember though, I’m certain.”

 

Ches nods, prying up the fake floorboard and starting to take the weapons out. “Effie, pack our clothes? Jonah, grab food. I’ll pack these.” She says, checking each gun to ensure the safety was on them. It wouldn’t do if any of them accidently went off in the bag. When she reaches her bow and arrows, she grins, carefully caressing the bow. “Hey beautiful, I’ve missed you.” She whispers to it.

 

“Talking to the bow again?” Jonah asks as he packs the canned food, Ches nods.

 

“What else would I talk to in the floorboards?” She asks as she finishes packing the bow, moving onto the boxes of ammo. “Damn, I didn’t realize how much was here. Mom and dad really stocked up.” She grins.

 

“Logan got some stuff with some ration cards too, he always said it’d be better safe than sorry.” Jonah adds, “he figured if we needed them, we better make sure we’re set.” 

 

Effie comes back into the room with all their clothes. “We should probably mix the bags up, just in case…” She frowns again, and Ches nods.

 

“That’s a good plan.” She agrees, “we have time. We’ll do that. Got all the food, Jonah?”

 

“Everything that won’t spoil.” He brings his bag of food over, and Ches nods.

 

“Lets separate these into three bags.” 

 

\--

 

It gets dark fairly quickly, and Ches triple checks the bags. They were able to get everything into three bags as planned, although they weren’t exactly the lightest. She figured they could ditch things as needed, but for now? It would be okay.

 

“You two ready?” She asks, and her siblings look at each other before nodding eagerly. “We need to move fast, and stick close together, okay? Let’s not get caught.” She walks out of the room, it was quiet, extremely so, and the three tip toe through the halls outside.

  
“Where are you going?”

 

She turns to look at the source of the voice, relaxing when she sees it’s France.

 

“Just going to practice. I figured you’d leave with the military.” She smiles, he was army, after all, and he shrugs.

 

“Someone has to stay and try to keep order here. We don’t want it to turn into chaos, after all.” He tells her, shrugging. “I’ll see you later.” He seemed so sure of the fact, and she can’t help but feel guilt for that fact.

 

She wasn’t coming back.

 

“Yeah, see you later.” She agrees, he nods, going back to what he was doing and she makes her way towards the abandoned gates. Her siblings follow, and they exit the only home they’ve only known, Ches looking back guiltily one last time at her best friend before they leave the zone’s eyesight forever.


	3. Infection

Balo frowns, looking at the managed body. “What did that?” She asks wrinkling her nose. Veles and Ivan look at each other before Veles answers.

 

“The infected.” Veles voice is soft, “the body’s fresh, let’s get moving.” He starts to head further in the building, Ivan quickly following him, and Balo follows after the two. “If you see anything useful, grab it.”

 

“You don’t have to tell me twice.” Ivan says, picking up a bloody clipboard and glancing at it. “They were waiting for evac.” He doesn’t seem pleased with that fact. “There might be military around.”

 

“We’ll deal with them if we have to. We have to get her to the Capitol Building if we want those guns.” Veles reminds him as they go up the stairs, they stop at floor five, Balo wrinkling her nose again at the thing blocking the door.

 

“What is that?” She asks, her curiosity getting the best of her.

 

“A clicker, they’re infected that move through echolocation. I was hoping for just runners.” Ivan admits, “we’ll have to be quiet.” He says as he prys the clicker corpse off the door and pushes the door open. It leads to an vacated room, and the boys walk around the office, looking for supplies quickly. Balo hovers near Ivan, not exactly sure what she should do. 

 

“Ivan, this door won't budge.” Veles calls, and Ivan glances around the room, moving to go help him once he realizes the door Veles was trying to open was the only way out. Balo follows Ivan, watching as the two manage to get the door open with a loud clank.

 

Ivan enters the room first and Balo notices something moving down the hall. “Ivan, look out!”

 

Ivan shoots the clicker, killing it before it reaches him. “Check the rooms, make sure there's not any more surprises.” 

 

Balo follows Veles as he does so, Ivan meeting up with the two at the end of the hall after all the rooms have been checked. “Last room, you ready?” Veles asks, and Ivan nods.

 

“Ready.” He agrees, and they enter the room to be greeted to a section where the stairs had fallen down. “Shit, we’re going to have to do the boost method.”

 

Veles nods, “let me up first, I’m lighter. Then Balo, then you.” He suggests, and Ivan nods.

 

“I can agree with that.” Ivan agrees, cupping his hands together to push Veles up. Veles goes up with ease, and it’s clear the two have done this a lot. Veles offers his hand to Balo, giving her a reassuring smile.

 

“It’s not that bad.” He promises her, “just step on Ivan’s hands and grab mine and we’ll get you up.”

 

She nods, moving to do so, the sleeve of her hoodie slipping slightly as she grabs Veles hand and he starts to pull her up. When he noticed her arm, however, he drops her. “Holy shit.” He curses as Ivan catches her and Ivan raises an eyebrow.

 

“What’s wrong?” He asks, looking down at Balo. His eyes widen and she wonders what’s wrong until she notices what sleeve had dropped.

 

“It’s not what it looks like.” She defends quickly and Ivan raises an eyebrow.

 

“It looks like you’re infected.” Ivan points out, setting her down gently and Balo frowns.

 

“It’s a week old.” She tells them, “and it hasn’t gotten any worse since I was bitten, just healed over.”

 

“Bullshit, everyone knows you turn within three days.” Veles says, “Grace tricked us.”

 

“Why would Grace trick you?” She frowns, “look, I wanted to tell you, but Grace said you’d react badly. I guess she was right.”  She could already guess what would happen now. They would leave her in this building to get eaten by clickers, and there would be no saving her.

 

Ivan looks at her, and he’s clearly contemplating something. “Say we got you to the capitol building without you turning, what then?” he asks, and Balo frowns.

 

“Grace says I’m immune, that whatever this is? Could be the start of a vaccination to prevent the outbreak from spreading.” She tells him, “Ivan, I’m telling the truth, it’s a week old. Please don’t leave me here.”

 

Ivan takes one last glance at her before looking at Veles. “Veles, take two, don’t drop her this time.” He tells him. Veles raises an eyebrow.

 

“Take two? You can’t be serious, Ivan. She’s infected.” The blonde man reminds him, and Ivan shrugs.

 

“If she turns, I’ll shoot her myself. Now help me.” He seemed like he was talking about something as simple as the weather, but Balo wasn’t going to question this kindness. She gets back up, and Veles helps her this time.

 

They pull Ivan up quickly, heading into the next room when Veles rushes them to a counter putting his finger over his lips. That’s when she hears it, the clicking. It sounded more like a screech than a rapid click, but it was there. Veles reaches for a bottle, throwing it at the clickers head quickly before sneaking around the room. Balo picks up another bottle, just in case and carefully follows, Ivan right behind her.

 

The three sneak around, occasionally throwing bottles to distract the clicker until they find a study wooden board, which Veles picks up and bashes it in the head with, killing it.

 

They reach another stairwell, this one going down, and they follow it. Exiting the building when they reach the bottom. “I think the easiest way to the Capitol Building is through the museum” Veles states, and Ivan nods in agreement.

 

“Balo, stick with me.” Ivan tells her, and she nods, following him into the building. The two barely get into the front room when the floor above them collapsed and runners come towards them, separating them from Veles.

 

“Veles?” She calls.

 

“I'll find a way around, I’ll meet you on the roof.” Veles calls back, while Ivan takes a look at the situation.

 

“Balo, run.” He tells her, starting to dart for the stairs, she follows quickly, trying to ignore the infected trailing behind her. He stops when he gets to the top of the stairs, pushing her behind him and shooting the infected as they come up.

 

“You’re very good at that.” She says, realizing she’s still holding the bottle. Ivan nods.

 

“How’s your bite?” He asks, and she shrugs.

 

“The same as it’s been for the last week.” She tells him. “Veles will get here soon, right?”

 

Ivan looks in the direction they came, nodding. “Yeah, I’m sure he’ll be right behind us.” He assures her, opening the door. There was the sound of struggling, and Ivan rushes towards the sound, Balo following quickly as he opens the door. There Veles was, fighting with a clicker, Balo throws the bottle to the wall next to Veles, and the clicker turns, rushing towards the sound when Veles picks up the brick next to him and bashes it in the head.

 

“Are you okay?” Ivan asks and Veles nods.

 

“Fine.” He promises, ruffling Balo’s hair as he walks by her. “Thanks, B.”

 

Balo blinks at the shortened version of her name, not sure how to respond. Ivan raises an eyebrow.

 

“B?” He questions, and Veles grins.

 

“It’s a nickname. At least it’s not as bad as Mini-Van.” Veles points out, chuckling. Ivan gives his smuggling partner the dirtiest look she’d ever seen anyone receive as Veles leads the way to the roof. “Come on, let’s cross over and head to the Capitol Building.”

 

\--

 

They reach the Capitol Building at sunrise, and Balo is already dreading going inside. She was rather enjoying Ivan and Veles, even though it was a job, they were treating her like a person. Not a number, and certainly not like she was Grace Driskell’s sister.

 

They open the door, and Balo freezes at the sight, the room is littered with dead Firefly bodies, and she looks to Ivan and Veles as if asking them what to do.

 

Veles makes his way over to the body, checking it. “There must be some sort of map on one of them.” He mutters, Ivan raises an eyebrow.

 

“Veles, what’s gotten into you?” He asks, Veles ignores him turning to Balo, desperation in his eyes.

 

“Where were they going to take you?” He asks, and Balo frowns, she didn’t exactly know. She just knew that they were going out west somewhere.   
  


“Out west, Grace didn’t say exactly where.” She admits, and Veles turns to Ivan.

 

“You have to get her to Alan, you know Cooke, he used to run with that crowd, he’d know where to find them. You have to get her to them.” He tells him.

 

“We agreed to bringing her to the building, we can just take her home with us, have Grace send out another bunch of Fireflies to take her?” Ivan says, and Veles shakes her head.

 

“You heard what Grace said, their numbers are dwindling. Ivan, please, take her to Alan.”

 

“What about you?” Balo questions, and Veles shakes his head, taking off his leather jacket, revealing a bite on his neck.

 

“This is the end of the line for me.” He admits, offering the jacket to Balo. “You keep this, okay? Anyone tries to take it from you, kick their ass, B.” 

 

She takes it, holding it, frowning when she realizes how much worse his bite is than hers.

 

“When did this happen?” Ivan asks, moving to examine the bite. Veles steps back, throwing his hands up.

 

“Ivan, don’t come near me. It’s only been an hour, but I don’t want to risk turning and hurting you.”  He frowns.

 

“The clicker in the museum.” Ivan realizes, frowning. “Why didn’t you tell us you were bit?” He asks.

 

“I wanted to make sure we got B to her Fireflies. Guess I won’t get to see that.” Veles admits, “get her to Alan for me.”

 

“What about you?” Ivan asks, as cars start to pull up. Balo turns, seeing military pouring out of them.

 

“I’m not going down without a fight. I’ll cover you.” Veles promises, “now go. Don’t let me die in vain, Ivan.”

 

Ivan nods, starting to leave, gesturing for Balo to follow him. She puts on the leather jacket, hugging Veles and whispering “thank you” before darting off after Ivan. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t want this to happen.” She tells Ivan once the door is closed.

 

“I know B. Come on, we can loop around and come out from the back side.” He starts to lead the way, Balo following. Upon reaching the upstairs, gunshots ring through, and Ivan winces as he sneaks around the banister.

 

“Target neutralized, he took out four of my men.” She could hear a man say from downstairs, and Balo tries not to look as they sneak around. It’s hard though, Veles’s body is in clear sight, and she can’t help the tears that start to roll down her cheeks.

 

Ivan pulls something from his bag, lighting it and dropping it. It goes off with a boom upon hitting the ground, and Ivan starts to run. Balo follows.  “If any of them lived through that, they’ll find us quickly if we don’t get moving.” He tells her and she nods.

 

“What was that?” She asks, glancing back and seeing smoke.

 

“Something Veles swore I would find a use for.” He tells her, “didn’t until today though.” The two quickly get through the building.

 

“We’ll cut through the old subway station.” Ivan tells her, she nods, following his lead. After all, Ivan knew way more than she did about the world outside of the zone.

 

\--

 

They manage to get through the subway tunnels, fighting both infected and military personnel as they do so. Once they’re on the other side, it’s clear that they’re safe for a few minutes and Ivan sits down on a bench that managed to survive the bombing of Boston, gesturing for her to sit next to him.

 

“Ivan, I am so sorry, honestly, I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.” She admits, and he nods.

 

“I know you didn’t, B, I know. I just need a few minutes to process and think? Okay?” He tells her, and she nods giving him a sideways hug. He tense for a few moments, clearly not expecting the gesture before returning it quietly.

 

After what seems like forever, Ivan pulls away, standing up. “Alan has a cousin, Anthony, in a town a few miles north of here. He owes me a favor, and I’m pretty sure he can get us a car. If we get moving? I bet we could get there before noon.”

 

Balo nods, “lead the way!” She agrees, following after him the second Ivan starts to walk again.

 

She hadn’t been expecting the journey to turn out this way, but there was no doubt about it. She was kind of glad she was still with Ivan. Something about him gave her a sense of safety.

 

And she didn’t exactly want it to go away quite yet.


	4. Mistakes

Ches honestly wasn't sure why Jonah and Effie let her go with her plan. It was far from ideal, and it hadn't even been that long yet. Just a two or three days. They were outside of New York already, probably already in Pennsylvania, or pretty darn close if the signs along the road were to be believed. "We're going to need supplies." Jonah notes, and Ches raises an eyebrow.

 

"We just left a few days ago?" She questions and Jonah sighs.

 

"And our ammo supply is already running low. There's been a lot of infected, and someone has the worst aim I've seen." He gives Effie a look, who frowns.

 

"I told you it's been forever since I've shot anything, and they move. I'm sorry!" She apologizes. Ches gives her a reassuring smile.

 

"It's okay, Effie, you'll get it, I believe in you. Okay? We just have to keep moving." She tells them. "The next city according to the sign is Pittsburgh. If we go there, we'll be able to stock up on supplies. I don't know if it's a zone or not, but I'm sure we'll be able to sneak in either way and trade." She tells them with a smile.

 

Jonah nods, "that's a good idea, better to get more supplies than to not and have shit hit the fan." He agrees. She nods, glad to see Jonah was agreeing with her, but worried that this was another one of her bad ideas.

 

She really hoped it wasn't. She had Effie and Jonah to take care of, after all. It was better if they didn't get caught up in the consequences of one of her stupid plans.

 

She loved them way too much for that. 

 

"So, we're going to head into Pittsburgh, trade for supplies, and then head out. Sounds like a simple enough plan." Effie says with a smile. 

 

"Hopefully it's as simple as it sounds." Jonah says, "we really are starting to run low on the ammo we use the most."

 

"Now don't jinx it by calling it simple, but, with any luck? We'll be in and out quickly." Ches agrees, starting to follow the highway signs to the city.

 

\--

 

Trading would be impossible, Ches realized, the second the hunters tried to kill them. It wasn't a zone in any sense other than the term 'warzone.' It wasn't ideal, she knew, but she had to try to get her siblings out of the city and get some supplies fast.

 

So far it was looking like both were going to be extremely hard.

 

She ducks into a room, locking the door behind her. They had lost the hunters on their trail, but still, it wasn’t ideal in the slightest. “Why do we go with any of my ideas?” She whispers, “the last two have been horrible so far.”

 

Jonah shakes his head, “you didn’t know, Ches. It’s going to be alright? We just have to figure out the best time to sneak out.” He whispers. Ches nods, pulling Effie close to her, hugging her baby sister as if she’d slip out of her fingers.

 

“I really hope you’re right. If anything hap-” She stops the words, not wanting to jinx it again She didn’t know what she would do if something happened to her siblings. 

 

They were all she had left.

 

Jonah gives her a small smile, joining in the hug. “It's going to be okay, nothing is going to happen, don't worry,” he assures her, “we’ll get out of here, I have no doubt about that.”

 

Effie nods in agreement, and Ches smiles.

 

“Alright. Now time to figure out what watches everyone has so we can figure out the system here, and the best time to leave.” Ches says.

 

It'd be a little wait, but to ensure they got out safely? Ches was willing to take the time to figure it out.

 

\--

 

The system here was fucked up, Ches realized that the more she watched. It was several days since they had been stuck in Pittsburgh. It wasn't the most ideal situation, she could sneak food from their supplies, but finding a time the gate towards the west wasn't watched was proving harder than she thought.

 

While they didn't eat the people they killed, there was a body dump section, where the stripped survivors the hunters killed laid. She wasn't sure that was a much better fate, being torn apart by crows.

 

Other groups of survivors came in, it was apparent women and children were easily disposed of, men were sometimes given a choice to join the group, but there were a fair share of them just killed too.

 

Ches couldn't help but feel sick to her stomach when she realized a former quarantine zone had turned into this. Was this what her childhood home would turn into? She hoped not, but a sinking feeling in her stomach told her that this would be its fate.

 

She makes her way back to the room quickly, trying to stay as quiet as possible. It wasn't ideal, being stuck in one room, but it appeared the hunters didn't roam that area, nor did the infected in the area, so it seemed like the safest spot of Effie as long as Jonah and her didn't lead them back to her.

 

Once inside she locks the door, holding her stash up to show Jonah, who lowers the gun he was pointing at her. “There was another group today.” She whispers, “mostly women. I killed a few hunters in the process, but, I think they got them all.” She hated the concept of the hunters killing women and children, what kind of monsters did that?

 

The infected did, sure, but they weren't human, not in her eyes. The hunters? They didn't have a fungus growing on their brain in their defense. They were just horrible people.

 

Jonah smiles, seeing her stash, and turning to Effie. “Effie, we have more food!” He tells her, Effie smiles, making her way over.

 

“What about ammo?” She questions, and Ches pulls that out her bag. 

 

“They're not full boxes, but, I figured beggars can't be choosers” she smiles, “they're starting to notice things are going missing though, we might not be able to sneak in there for a bit, so, make it last.”

 

Jonah nods before turning to Effie. “Shall we categorize these?” He questions, and the fifteen year old smiles.

 

“Yes!” She agrees, following her brother into the other room. Ches watches them for a few minute before going to watch the door. While she still had hope they would get out, it was really looking like it'd be hard to do so.

 

She needed to figure out a plan and fast, before they got caught.


	5. Anthony

Ivan was right, they got to the town quickly, definitely before noon. Balo’s feet were starting to hurt, but it wasn’t the time to rest. Ivan had warned her Anthony was extremely cautious, and she was starting to see it given the amount of tripwire Ivan and her carefully crossed over. 

 

“So, where exactly does Anthony live?” She questions, and Ivan shrugs.

 

“I don’t know exactly, we normally meet up someplace different.” Ivan admits, “but I’ve seen maps of this town, it’s not as big as Boston. We’ll be able to find him.” He gives her a reassuring smile as they cross over the tripwire again. She nods, smiling.

 

“Do you think he’ll give us supplies?” She asks, and he shrugs.

 

“He only owes me one favor, the car is the main goal, if he wants to be generous though - I won’t object.” Ivan tells her, “but, I don’t expect it.” They enter a building, Ivan looking around the room. Balo walks around the room, curiosity getting the best of her.

 

She doesn’t even notice the shadow above her moving until someone drops down and holds a knife to her throat. She lets out a little shocked noise of surprise before he covers her mouth, and Ivan turns around quickly.

 

“Anthony, let her go.” Ivan tells him, “she’s with me.”

 

Anthony doesn’t budge however, “and why are you here? You two are hardly sneaky, if you’re trying to kill me, you’re doing a horrible job,” he points out. Ivan throws his hands up in the air as a peace offering.

 

“We’re not trying to kill you.” Ivan assures him, “Remember that favor you owe me? We’re here to collect it. And then we’ll get out of your hair.”

 

That seems to be enough of an answer for Anthony, as he takes the blade off Balo’s throat. She turns around, smiling at him, ignoring the fact he was just going to kill her. She couldn’t blame him, not for that. He’d never seen her before, after all.

“Do you always appear like that?” She asks, “out of nowhere?" Her curiosity was getting the better of her, no doubt about that. Anthony shrugs.

 

"Only when I feel like it. It can be useful." His voice sounds hollow, and she couldn’t help but find it strange. How could a person care so little about something as cool as simply appearing out of nowhere? She wasn't sure. 

 

"It seems useful, and it's super cool. Like a ninja in that old book Izzy found." She smiles for a brief moment, before she remembers Izzy's death. It had only been a week, and it was hard to think that her best friend was dead. The concept of it still left her mind reeling.

 

"It can be." Anthony shrugs. She could hear the sound of bells in the distance and she tilts her head confused. Why were there ringing bells? Anthony however, groans. "We're getting company. Ivan, you armed? Because your girlfriend isn't."

 

"She's not my girlfriend, just a friend." Ivan corrects quickly, pulling out his gun.

 

"What's the point of an unarmed friend? Sounds like a good way to die to me." Anthony tells him quickly, and Balo raises an eyebrow at him. She wasn't expecting Ivan to hand her a gun so soon, in all honesty, the odds of him trusting her at this point were slim to none. 

 

No matter how much she trusted him already.

 

Ivan rolls his eyes, but doesn't justify Anthony's question with an answer. Just shooting the infected as they started to run in. There seemed to be a lot of them, Anthony had pulled a gun too and was shooting them down as they entered.

 

It seemed like it was going well, until she heard cursing in an accent she was becoming way too familiar with at this point. Anthony glances in his direction too.

 

"Out of ammo." Ivan tells them, Balo glances over to the swarm of infected still coming. There was a lot, and it wasn't good if two of them to be unarmed. 

 

"You two, follow me." Anthony says, starting to dart away. Balo looks at Ivan briefly, waiting for him to nod before she chases after Anthony. Ivan follows, and the two try to stay on Anthony's heels as much as they can manage.

 

Anthony was sneaky and fast, no doubt about it.

 

They reach a church, and Anthony opens a gate, Balo and Ivan come in fast, and Anthony closes it quickly, locking it before the infected can come in. Balo stares at the building wide eyed, having never seen a church in person before. Sure she had heard of them, and they were in books, but it was beautiful, stained glass windows and all. Anthony raises an eyebrow at her as he passes her to open the door to the cellar. "Come on, it's safest down here." He tells them.

 

Ivan goes in, hesitantly, and Balo follows. Anthony comes in as soon as Balo's down and closes the cellar door. Balo looks around the cellar, it was dark, but it was clearly being used. Anthony turns on a light, and she blinks quickly, trying to get used to the sudden light.

 

"Welcome to my home." Anthony tells them, Ivan raises an eyebrow.

 

"You live in a church?" He asks, the other man shrugs as if it shouldn't be surprising.

 

"It has the best view of Lincoln. Better to see who's coming in and out of my town." He says, turning to Balo. "Now, I know Ivan, but, what's your name? You’re not Veles, you’re much better looking than him.."

 

Balo blushes, "I'm Balo, it's nice to meet you Anthony." She smiles at him, taking a good look at him. He was beautiful, no doubt about that. He didn't look as if he would be able to appear from anywhere, but that was part of the appeal she supposed. Anthony grins at her, as if sensing her thoughts and she turns even brighter red.

 

"So, why are you here?" He turns to Ivan, "you said something about collecting the favor I owe you."

 

“We need a car.” Ivan admits. Anthony raises an eyebrow, shaking his head.

 

“If I had a working car, why would I give it to you?” He asks, “I don’t owe you that big of a favor.”

 

“We’re going to see Alan?” Balo suggests, Anthony doesn’t seem content with that being the answer he received, however.

 

“What do you two need to see an ex Firefly for?” He asks, and Ivan shakes his head at Balo before she can give Anthony the answer.

 

“This is Balo  _ Driskell _ , Grace’s sister.” Ivan introduces her.

 

“You got involved with the Driskells?” Anthony questions, “I thought you’d be the last one to get involved with the Fireflies. What does Veles think of this?”

 

“It was Veles’s idea.” Ivan dismisses, “he’s okay with it.”

 

Anthony shakes his head, but doesn’t comment further on the subject of Fireflies. “As for the car, I don’t have a working one.” He shrugs, “The battery in the one Alan left me is dead. You two might have to walk.”

 

“Is there nothing we can do to recharge the battery?” Balo questions, and Anthony shrugs.

 

“Not on this side of town, trust me, I’ve checked.” Anthony checks his nails. He looked rather bored with the situation in all honesty, and Ivan gives Anthony a look.

 

“On this side of town?” He questions.

 

“There was a military vehicle that crashed a week ago in the other side of town. I don’t tend to go there, too many infected.” Anthony gestures towards Balo. “But I wouldn’t go out there with her unarmed. That’s a death wish out here.”

 

“I haven’t taught her how to shoot yet.” Ivan admits, did Ivan not realize they taught her how to shoot in the military?

 

“I know how to shoot. Military school.” Balo admits, Ivan gives her a look as Anthony walks further into the room, making his way to tarp, moving it to reveal a table full of weapons. 

 

“Come here.” Anthony tells her, and she walks over to him cautiously. He picks a pistol off the table, offering it to her.

 

“If you’re going to come with us, you’re going to be armed.” He continues to hold out the weapon, and she takes it, smiling at him.

 

“Thank you.” She says, “for trusting me.”

 

He shrugs, “I don’t trust you, just would rather I didn’t die on the way of getting that battery.” He turns to Ivan. “Reload, this is going to be messy.”

 

\--

 

Balo wasn’t sure how there were so many infected wandering around so close to the church. Anthony seemed to have so many traps on the side of the town. If the amount of infected were any hint, she couldn’t say she blamed him. There was only so much sneaking they could do before they couldn’t sneak anymore.

 

Of course, it had to be upon grabbing the battery.

 

They make their way into a house, and the first thing the three do is start to push stuff to barricade the door from the infected.

 

After the door is blocked off, Balo turns to look at Anthony. “No wonder why you don’t come here often.”

 

He shrugs, walking into the house. It looked pretty clear all things considered. She wanders into the room next to front door, smiling when she sees what inside. It was a garage, with a car. “Ivan! Anthony! Come look at this.” 

 

The men come in quickly, looking at the vehicle, Ivan still holding the battery. Anthony moves closer, looking over the car before popping up the hood. “Ivan, can you bring that battery over here?” He asks, Ivan does so and he looks at the battery and back to the one in the car. “This could work.”

 

\--

 

Getting the car started was the easy part, getting back into side of Anthony’s town with a car and getting back to the church was not. There were many infected roaming the streets now, something that Balo wasn’t sure she liked. They manage to get to the church eventually though, as the sun was setting.

 

“Anthony, thank you.” Ivan tells him, and Anthony shakes his head.

 

“Don’t thank me yet.” He tells the Englishman, “you said you’re going in to see Alan? I want in.” He tells them, Ivan raises an eyebrow at Anthony.

 

“Why?” Ivan questions.

 

“Why not? Balo, will you help me grab my stuff?” Anthony asks, she looks to Ivan, as if asking him if she should, and Ivan sighs.

 

“Before you come with us, Balo needs to show you something, try to be open minded, Wilson.” Ivan tells him, nodding to her. She sighs, turning to Anthony. 

 

“Don’t panic, don’t try to shoot me until I explain.” She tells him, he nods, and she rolls up her arm. “This is a week old. The reason my sister wants me to get to the Fireflies is she thinks her doctors can develop a cure.”

 

Anthony raises an eyebrow, turning to Ivan. “How long as she had that bite that you’ve known about?” He asks.

 

“Almost twenty four hours, it hasn’t gotten worse, Anthony. It’s real.” Ivan tells him, and the man nods.

 

“Alright, now that’s out of the way, come help me grab my stuff, Balo?” Anthony gestures towards the cellar, and Balo gets out of the backseat of the car to follow him inside.

 

“Thank you for believing us, Anthony.” She tells him, “and for not shooting me.”

 

Anthony shrugs, “I’m pretty good at reading people, you’re not lying.” He starts grabbing supplies, handing them to her. “Now put these in the trunk. We’re going to need them.”


	6. Meetings

 

Ches was sneaking around for food when she heard the crash. Great, another group of survivors that weren’t going to survive Pittsburgh, that was all she needed to know. She was trying to save her arrows, and that meant she couldn’t help this group. Not without losing precious supplies.

 

She grabs what she can from the hunter’s storage and quickly starts to make her way back to Effie and Jonah. They needed the supplies, there was no doubt about it. The longer they were stuck here, the less of their food supply they had, and it was up to Ches to replenish it.

  
She couldn’t let her twin brother or her baby sister starve.

 

She makes it there quickly, killing a few of the hunters - as they had taken to calling the residents of Pittsburgh - on her way. She opens the door, Jonah lowering the gun once he sees it’s her and she dumps the supplies on the apartment table, Jonah closing the door behind her.

 

“There’s not much, there’s another group that crashed in today. I grabbed and ran.” She admits, “I might have to go back out.”

 

“Can I come with you?” Effie asks, smiling. “I’ve been practicing my sneaking.” She seemed so excited and Ches looks to Jonah.

 

“I barely heard her walking around today.” He admits, and she nods.

 

“Fine, but we’re sticking close to this area. In case we need to dart back here.” Ches tells Effie, her whole face lights up and the redhead turns to Jonah.

 

“Are you going to be okay here alone?” She asks, and he nods.

 

“Of course, there hasn’t been much activity around here, I’ll be fine.”

 

\--

 

They were in a store when Ches heard footsteps, she whips around quickly, putting out a gun, and pointing it towards the sound. Shit, why did she have to bring Effie along this time? She goes to pull the trigger when she sees a man with brown hair, before Effie touches her arm.

 

“Ches! Look! They have a girl too!” 

 

Wait, a girl?

 

Ches lowers her weapon, pocketing the gun. “Sorry about that, used to the hunters. I’m Ches, and this is my little sister Effie.” She introduces quickly, they look cautious and Ches groans. “Haven’t you noticed there’s no female hunters? Seriously.”

 

“We have noticed, so, why are you here?” The curly haired man asks, he has an accent to die for, and Ches can’t find herself mad at him any longer.

 

“Like you, we made the mistake of coming into Pittsburgh, we’re just better at surviving than most people.” She hears footsteps, “they with you?”

 

“No, it’s just the three of us.” The blonde woman says, and Ches frowns.

 

“Then we better get moving, Effie grab the stuff, looks like we have guests for dinner. Now come on, unless you’d prefer to die?” Ches grabs a few things and gets moving, Effie follows, and she feels a sense of relief when she hears three pairs of footsteps following after her sister.

 

Jonah’s eyes widen in surprise when the three new people follow after Effie, and Ches smiles at her twin. “Lighten up, I brought guests.” She tells him quickly. He shakes his head.

 

“Where did you find these guests?” He asks, Effie answers.

 

“Supply hunting, Ches was gonna shoot them, but they had a girl so I stopped her. Can we keep them? Please?” Effie questions and Ches laughs.

 

“They’re people, not dogs, Effie.” She reminds the fifteen year old, turning to the three. “Make yourselves comfortable, you don’t try to kill us, we won’t try to kill you. Okay? Although, it might be nice to know your names.”

 

The blonde woman smiles, “Oh! Sorry! I’m Balo, this is Ivan and Anthony.” She gestures to the two as she says their names. “Thank you for not killing us.”

 

“She wouldn’t have killed us.” The one she almost shot, Anthony, says, “we wouldn’t have let her.”

 

Ches shrugs, “Maybe, maybe not. Let’s put it behind us, maybe try to figure out a plan to get out of here with all of us alive?” She suggests, “My plans kind of suck, and I have these two to take care of  - you know, so if any of you have ideas, please feel free to share them, I’ll give you all the information I know on this place.”

 

Ivan nods, “Alright, tell me what you know, I’ll see what plans I can think of.” He agrees, and Ches starts rattling off all the information that she knows.

 

\--

 

Ivan's plan sounded like it would actually work, and Ches couldn't deny the relief she felt as they ate fresh fruit.

 

“Where did you get these? They're amazing!” Balo exclaims, looking at the red seeded fruit in awe. Ches smiles at her.

 

“The strawberries came from the hunter’s garden, they don't have anyone there between six and seven in the morning, so, it's easy to sneak in and grab fruit then.” Ches tells the girl.

 

“How long have you been here? You seem to know a lot about the hunters.” Anthony seems suspicious, and Ches shrugs. 

 

“A week? I think? Jonah, does seven days sound about right?” She turns to her brother who nods.

 

“It's been seven, I've been carving it in the wall.” Jonah admits. Effie frowns.

 

“It's been nine days since we left then… I miss Logan.” The fifteen year old whispers.

 

Ches couldn't deny she missed Logan too, no doubt about that. He would have known exactly what to do, while Ches guessed way too much.

 

“We’ll see him again someday, Effie. Hopefully when we're old and grey.” Jonah assured her, ruffling Effie’s hair. Ches smiles at the two, turning to Ivan.

 

“How did you end up here anyway? If you don't mind me asking.” She questions.

 

“We’re trying to find the Fireflies.” Ivan admits, Ches nods, she could understand that.

 

“So are we, maybe we could team up for a bit? Strength in numbers.” She suggests, Jonah gives her a look and she raises an eyebrow at him.

 

“We’ll see, depending on how this plan works out.” Ivan dismisses, and Ches nods, she could understand his reasoning, they had just met, after all.

 

She just hoped this plan would work.

 

\--

 

It felt like Effie had the loudest feet out of everyone as they snuck through the bookstore, and honestly, that was a blessing. Her footsteps were soft enough not to draw attention outside of the shop so far, although they were nowhere near as silent as Anthony’s.

 

She wasn’t sure how Anthony stayed so quiet, Ches didn’t even think she could hear him at all.

 

“Holy shit.” Effie breathes quietly, and Ches turns her bow in the direction of her sister’s voice, relaxing when she sees there’s nothing there and her sister is swooning over a book.

 

“Effie, leave it, it’s not going to be useful.” Jonah dismisses, and Effie frowns, continuing on her way. Ches glances at the book, opening her bag slightly and putting it in there quietly.

 

“I thought he said leave it.” Ivan questions, and Ches smiles at him.

 

“I don’t take orders from Jonah, he’ll always be my goofy twin brother, no matter how cold he’s been getting since we left.” She whispers back, “now come on, let’s not draw too much attention on ourselves.” She follows in the direction the rest of the group was heading in.

 

That’s when she hears something and she crouches down behind a shelf quickly, holding her breath as she hears footsteps.  She doesn’t think to check if the rest of the group heard the noise, she just hoped they took her lead.

 

“There’s two groups running around here now, Ben is getting frustrated.” A hunter says as they explore the bookstore. “Especially with that first group, they’ve been wreaking havoc for a week.”

 

“I know, we’re going to get them eventually though, maybe we should make an exception on the red haired bitch who keeps killing everyone, she could be fun to have around.” He laughs, and Ches wrinkles her nose, giving Ivan a look like ‘can you believe him.’

 

“Please, I bet she’d cut that off of you, although, fucking her could be fun. The way she kills, bet she’s a spitfire in bed.” The first hunter comes into sight, and Ches can’t help but pray everyone is out of his eyesight.

 

“Look, there’s nothing in here. Maybe we should go.” The second hunter tells him and the first one nods.

 

“I think you’re right, let’s go.” Two sets of footsteps exit, and Ches lets herself breathe again.

 

That was too close for comfort.

 

She waits a few moments before standing up slightly, and she follows Anthony and Balo out of the bookstore quietly, sneaking behind them.

 

\--

 

Of course everything couldn’t continue to go as planned, Ches was holding back curses as she blocks off the entrance to the courtyard they had just entered, hoping it would hold until they all got out. 

 

“There they are!” 

 

She turns, cursing under on breath when she sees guards, and lets an arrow fly. Anthony’s bullet hits the other one, and she lets out a sigh of relief when no more gunfire follows. Pounding on the massive metal door, however, begins.

 

“Guys, if we can get up there, I think we can get out.” Effie points towards the shipping crate, and she nods.

 

“Boost me up, Ches.” Jonah asks, and Ches makes her way over to the shipping container, helping Jonah up. “Come on Effie, you next, it’s safe.”

 

Effie gets up next, using the small ladder quickly. Ches turns to Balo, “you next, then me?” She suggests. Balo nods, and Ches quickly boosts her up before taking the girl’s hand and using the ladder. It breaks, and Ches curses.

 

“Jonah, help me get the boys up.”

 

“Ches, we don’t have much time.” Jonah looks towards the way out, “we should go for it, ditch them.”

 

Ches shakes her head, “no, we’re not ditching them. We wouldn’t have made it this far without them. Balo, help me?” She asks the other girl, leaning down to offer her hand to Anthony. Balo nods, helping her pull him up, and then Ivan.

 

“Thank you.” Ivan tells Ches, as if he couldn’t believe she didn’t ditch him. She raises an eyebrow at him, why would she ditch someone who had helped her? She wasn’t heartless.

 

“Come on, let’s move before they get through that gate.” She tells them, making her way across the container and out of the Pittsburgh, making a run for it towards the beach.

  
The hunters didn’t follow, and she couldn’t help but feel relief as they make it to the beach. They would have time to regroup, and she couldn’t deny the relief she felt.

 

They had survived Pittsburgh, against the odds. Her siblings were safe.


	7. How Lucky We Are

It had been an eventful few days, and Balo wasn’t exactly sure how to process it, driving through ruined cities, siphoning gas as they needed it, and eventually winding up in Pittsburgh. She was getting closer to Anthony and Ivan, which she was thankful for, and she already had a feeling she could become friends with Ches and Effie - although the jury was still out on Jonah.

 

“You okay?” Anthony questions as he sits next to her, and she nods, smiling at him.

 

“I don’t like how Jonah was trying to leave you.” She admits, “I get it’s a messy world, but I’m not going anywhere without my boys. I wouldn’t be here without you two, and I know it.” She rests her head on his shoulder, frowning when he tenses.

 

“I don’t trust them.” Anthony tells her, she shoots him an amused look.

 

“You don’t trust anyone.” She reminds him, “I think I like Ches though. She wouldn’t leave you, and I like that.”

 

“You like she wouldn’t leave me?” He grins at her and she nods, cuddling closer to him.

 

“Yes, because I wouldn’t leave you either.” She hears footsteps, and Anthony slides away from her quickly before she turns to see it’s Ches coming over.

 

“It looks like the only way to go forward is to go through the sewers.” Ches tells them, “Are you guys going to come with us?” She questions, it’s clear she’s hoping the answer is yes. Balo looks to Anthony.

 

“What do you think?” She asks him, and Anthony looks around the area, spotting Ivan and waving him over.

 

“Ivan, what do you think? Should we go with the Elswoods?” Anthony questions.

 

“Well, it looks like there’s only one way out, we might as well go together.” Ivan agrees. Balo grins, it would be nice. Ches seemed pretty cool to her so far, and she couldn’t deny the fact that she wanted to be friends.

 

It would be hard to be friends if they didn’t travel together, though.

 

Ches smiles, clearly relieved, waving Effie and Jonah over. The other two Elswoods come over, and Balo glares at Jonah. She was still upset about the situation with Anthony and Ivan, how couldn’t she be? They were her friends - they might not have known each other very long, but they were the closest things she had to friends.

 

She hated the concept of anyone trying to leave them behind. 

 

“So are they coming with us?” Jonah questions, and Ches nods.

 

“They agreed to come with us.” She annouces, smiling and turning to Balo and her boys. “When will you be ready to leave?”

 

Anthony stands up, and Balo misses his warmth already. “Now.” He tells them, and Ivan nods in agreement. Balo stands up, smiling. 

 

“Alright, let’s go.”

 

\--

 

The sewers were disgusting, there were bugs crawling on the wall, the water smelled horrifying, and there was scurrying in the walls that Balo wasn’t sure she wanted to meet. “Are these always this smelly?” She questions, Anthony shrugs.

 

“Could be worse.” He reminds her, and she nods, smiling at him.

 

“I suppose you’re right.” She admits.

 

“I don’t think it could smell much worse.” Ches tells them from in front of them, Effie nods, her nose covered by her hand.

 

“Enough talking, we don’t know what’s in here.” Jonah snaps, it looked clear so far, but that doesn’t mean much. Ches frowns staying still a moment, moving when she’d be walking alongside Balo.

 

“I don’t like how he’s changing.” Ches whispers to her, the blonde gives her a sympathetic look.

 

“I hear being out here changes people for the worst.” Balo frowns, “I hope it never changes me.” She whispers, Ches nods.

 

“I hope it never changes me either.”

 

\---

 

Balo was starting to think there were no infected in these sewers when they reached the doors. Jonah looks back at them before pushing it open, and a barrel dumps glass bottles on the ground. Jonah jumps back, cursing.

 

“A sound trap.” Anthony notes, “someone was living here.”

 

“I don’t see anyone.” Effie points out, and Balo smiles. Maybe that meant they were friendly. Ivan, however, seems concerned by the lack of people investigating the traps, and Ches starts to pull out her bow.

 

They walk around quiet for a bit, exploring rooms, and they make it to the hallway before they see infected. Ches shoots the clicker quickly, hitting it in the head and killing it instantly as the runners come towards them. Balo pulls out her gun, shooting one, while Jonah gets the other.

 

“Hopefully there aren’t more?” Effie suggests, and Ches shrugs, counting her arrows quickly.

 

“I might have to switch to my gun at some point.” She frowns, “but anyway, let’s continue on.” Ches enters the next room, and Balo goes to follow her when Ches stops in the doorway, blocking her view.

 

Perhaps it was for the best, because Ches started to cry. It wasn’t the kind of crying where noises came out, it was the type where there was tears just running down your cheeks, but that was enough for Balo to know whatever was in that room wasn’t good. She steps back, letting Ches close the door.

 

“There were children…” Ches whispers, walking over to Effie and hugging her tight. Balo had never seen a family where they loved each other, and she couldn’t help but wish that Grace wasn’t so cold. She may have tried to be kind to her sister, but Grace wasn’t one to accept affection.

 

Ches, on the other hand, had no problem showing it to Effie in front of everyone.

 

“We should continue moving.” Anthony says, his voice is hollow again, and Ches nods, releasing her sister and starting to walk again. Balo follows the redhead down the stairs, closely followed by Ivan. 

 

“This could be the way out.” Balo points to a gate in front of them, there was a long hallway to their left, and she starts walking towards the gate. Ches and Ivan follow her, and she opens the gate, there’s the sound of something falling, and Jonah pulls Effie towards him just in time for a metal flood gate to fall in between the two groups of three.

 

“Anthony.” Balo darts to gate, ignoring the sounds of clickers coming. “We need to lift this gate. Maybe if we all lift, it will budge.”

 

Ches and Jonah start to try to budge the gate, but it doesn’t even move slightly. Anthony shakes his head.

 

“It’s not going to work.” Anthony points out, the clicking gets louder, and Balo frowns as she realizes what’s happening. “We’re going to have to move.”

 

Jonah nods, “I can agree with that. Come on Effie.” He tells her, “you two keep Ches safe.” 

 

“Just run.” Ches snaps at him, and he darts off. Ches turns to Balo, “we’ll meet up with them, they’ll be okay.” It sounded like she was mostly trying to reassure herself, not Balo, and Balo nods in response.

 

“I believe they’ll make it.” She agrees, turning to Ivan.

 

“Let’s get out of here.” Ivan agrees.

 

\--

 

There was a lot of infected in the tunnels, and Balo was starting to lose hope that people made it out of here alive. It was hard to take in too, as they exited the nursery. There were no bodies in the nursery, but it was still hard to take in.

 

“I think this is the way out.” Ivan suggests, Ches looks around.

 

“Can you boost me up?” Ches questions, Ivan nods, helping her up on the ledge.

 

Balo steps closer to Ivan, “I hope Anthony, Effie, and Jonah are okay.” She whispers to him, he ruffles her hair.

 

“Anthony is more than capable of getting out of this B. Don’t worry.” Ivan tells her, and Balo pulls her leather jacket closer to her. She honestly hoped he was right, she didn’t want to lose any more people so soon. Veles was still fresh in her mind, and she wished she could have helped him.

 

He died because of her, after all.  If he hadn’t taken the job of smuggling her, he’d be fine in Boston right now.

 

But she pushes away her guilt when Ches lowers a ladder down. “I saw this and figured it’d be easier than pulling you two up here.” She admits.

 

“Good thinking Ches.” Ivan tells her, and Balo could have sworn Ches beamed at Ivan’s praise. “You first, B.”

 

Balo climbs up, moving aside so Ivan can come up. She can hear voices, and Ches darts towards the sounds. Balo gives Ivan a confused look, until she can hear Anthony’s voice, and she follows Ches quickly, Ivan at their heels.. It leads them to a ledge, and she spots Anthony, Effie, and Jonah running from a massive swarm of clickers.

 

“Only way to go is down.” Ches notes before jumping, Ivan follows, and Balo hopes that the fall won’t hurt as she jumps. She gets up quickly, brushing herself off before darting in the direction everyone was starting to head towards.

 

“Just keep running!” Jonah calls to them. They make it to a room, and as soon as everyone is inside, they slam and lock the door.

 

“This isn’t going to hold them.” Effie frets, and Ches nods.

 

“We just have to get out of here.” She assures Effie, “we’ll be fine.” She promises the fifteen year old.

 

“This way.” Anthony starts to go up a set of stairs, and the group follows quickly, dropping down when the stairs ended on the other side of a metal grate from the clickers banging at the door. They move through the hallways quickly, making it to a door that won’t budge.

 

“Ches, think you can fit through there?” Jonah asks, gesturing to the window above the door.

 

“Child’s play, get me up there.” Ches tells him, and he boosts her up and she slides through no problem. 

 

“You too, Effie.” Jonah tells the fifteen year old, boosting her up and Effie slips through the window about the door too. He turns to go boost Balo up and she shakes her head.

 

“I think I’m too tall.” Balo admits, pulling out her gun as the infected start to swarm in the door. She shoots them quickly, hoping the two girls can get the door open quickly. The door opens not long after the infected come in and the four retreat for the door, pushing a massive, bulky filing cabinet against it.

 

Balo takes in the fresh air, turning quickly to fuss over Anthony. “Are you okay?” She questions, checking him over carefully. Anthony raises an eyebrow at her.

 

“What got into you?” He questions, she shakes her head, continuing checking him over, letting out the breath she didn’t know she was holding when she realizes he’s perfectly fine.

 

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Ches curses, and Balo turns her attention from Anthony to see what Ches is cursing at.

 

On the wall next to the door was the words; ‘Infected Inside, do NOT enter.’


	8. Death Doesn't Discriminate

Ches honestly was hoping this day would get less eventful. It was already morning, the sun rising, and Ches was already exhausted. Between the sewers, and the escape from Pittsburgh, she could go for a nap.

 

Of course, that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon, they really needed to find a safer place to settle down for the night.

 

“We could head into the suburbs.” Balo suggests, gesturing towards the suburb right below them. “Hide out for a bit, try to get our hands on some supplies?” The blonde’s plan didn’t sound bad, and Ches nods in agreement.

 

“I can agree with that.” She tells her, “it couldn’t hurt to hide out down there for a bit, rest up, try to collect ourselves.”

 

“We can do that.” Ivan agrees, and the group starts to head down the hill into the suburbs.

 

\--

  
The suburbs were actually very nice.

 

“What is that?” Effie questions as they pass a truck covered in pictures. Ches could understand the money under the pictures, but she had no idea what the images even were. She had never seen something like that in her life.

 

“That’s an ice cream truck.” Ivan explains, Ches turns to look at him in confusion. How did he know what it was?

 

“Ice cream? It existed outside of books?” Ches questions instead. She’d never seen pictures before, and when she questioned what it was while reading, her mother and Logan had simply explained it was food. But Ivan could recognize it from just looking at it.

 

How old was he?

 

Ivan smirks, “it did, kids would come running to these trucks playing creepy music. Of course, they never had my favorite.” Before Ches can question it further, however, Jonah comes over.

 

“Come on, enough dwelling on the past. Ice cream won’t help us in the future.” He tells them, Ches frowns when Ivan walks away, and Jonah turns to look at her. “What, Ches?” He snaps.

 

“You’ve been acting weird since we left, Jonah.” She says softly, he sighs.

 

“I’m just trying to keep you and Effie safe, Chessie. Out here, there’s no times for jokes. I say one wrong thing, I get us all killed.” Jonah tells her, she shakes her head.

 

“These three seem like genuinely good people though.” She tells them. Jonah shakes his head.

 

“No one is genuinely good out here, Ches, not even us.” He tells her, “I’m starting to realize that the more we’re out here.”

 

“I’m not going to let out here change me, you shouldn’t either.” Ches says gently. “I miss your jokes, I miss your smile. I miss my brother.”

 

He ruffles her hair, just walking into an abandoned house, and Ches frown grows as she follows him quietly.

 

“Ches!” Balo pops her head out of the other room of the house. “This place is cool. There’s a dart board.” She gushes and Ches nods, it must have shown she was upset still, because Balo’s face turned from excitement to concern. “What happened?”

 

“Jonah and I aren’t seeing eye to eye on stuff, it’s nothing to worry about. You said there’s a dart board?” Ches questions, she hadn’t played darts in years. France had found one a couple years ago while patrolling and brought it to Logan to figure out. Although no one had any idea how to play, it was fun to just throw the darts.

 

“Yeah! The darts are still here too, do you want to play?” Balo asks, Ches nods.

 

“Please!”

 

\--

 

Ches should have known things wouldn't stay peaceful, that they were too close to Pittsburgh still for real peace to occur quite yet. Once they had headed further into the suburbs there had been a sniper, which Anthony had snuck off to handle.

 

Thankfully Anthony did a good job, because the sniping switched to being aimed at the hunters rather than at them. The only downside was the sounds of gunshots lured the infected. And they were coming fast.

 

“Effie look out!” Jonah’s voice meets her ear, and Ches turns her gun in the direction Effie was in, shooting the infected that had tackled her.

 

“Effie, are you okay?” She asks, the girl nods.

 

“I’m fine.” She promises, and Ches smiles, relieved her baby sister was okay.

 

“We’re gonna have to move.” Ivan tells them, “there’s a lot of them

 

“The house Anthony’s in looks pretty barricaded from here, it might slow them down as we regroup.” Balo adds, Ches nods.

 

“Let’s go!” She agrees, helping Effie up quickly as Jonah shoots a runner coming toward them. It wasn’t the most ideal situation, she supposed, but if they all met up and were okay? Well, that’s all that mattered.

 

\---

 

They decided to spend the night in an old radio tower outside of the suburbs, Ches had to admit, the view was amazing. She was sitting by the fire, talking to Ivan - Balo and Anthony had snuck off a while ago. Effie had locked herself in a room, saying she had to take stock of the supplies while Jonah slept in the corner of the room Ches and Ivan were currently in.

 

“So, why are you trying to find the fireflies, if you don’t mind me asking?” Ches asks, her curiosity getting the better of her. It seems to be a mistake however, as it feels like a mask shows up on Ivan’s face.

 

“It’s important to Balo.” He leaves it at that, and Ches nods

 

“I should probably go check on Effie, I’ll be right back.” She promises, standing up and walking into the room Effie was in. She could hear noises from the room next to it, and she raises an eyebrow.

 

“Is that Anthony and Balo?” She asks Effie, the girl nods, making a face of disgust.

 

“Yeah, they’re going at it I think.” Effie says quickly, going back to counting the cans of food they had collected. Ches nods, walking over to the table.

 

“You sure you’re okay?” She asks Effie, the girl looks up for a brief moment, nodding before looking back down to the cans.

 

“I’m fine, Ches, don’t worry about me. I just want to make sure we have enough supplies.” Effie’s tone seemed off, not her normal happy tone, but something else. Ches frowns, she wasn’t sure what was going on, but it was clear Effie didn’t want to discuss it.

 

Instead of pressing, Ches takes off her backpack and reaches into it. “I got you something.” She tells Effie, grabbing the book and offering it to her. “I know Jonah said no, but you know I don’t listen to him.” She gives Effie a small smile.

 

“Thank you, Ches.” She says, she still doesn’t sound happy, but she takes the book. Ches nods, shifting awkwardly.

 

“No problem! I’m gonna go back to Ivan, but, if you need anything, you know where to find me. Okay?” She tells her, Effie nods, waving her away and Ches exits the room, going to sit by the fire.

 

“Everything okay?” Ivan asks, and Ches shakes her head.

 

“I think something’s wrong, actually, but Effie isn’t talking to me.” She admits. “I think today scared her, but, I don’t want to press.”

 

Ivan nods, “was it her first close call?” He questions and she nods.

 

“Yeah, Jonah and I tend to be very good at keeping them away from her. I just, I hope it doesn’t change her. I’m already dealing with Jonah acting differently, I don’t think I could live with both of them acting strange.” She admits. 

 

“I’m sure she’ll be okay.” Ivan assures her, “I doubt she’ll let it get to her too long.”

 

Ches gives him a small smile, “I hope you’re right.”

 

\---

 

Ches wakes up to the smell of food, she sits up, looking around the room. “Where’s Effie?” She asks. Jonah looks up from what he’s cooking, smiling.

 

“I let her sleep her, after yesterday, I think we all deserved the ability to sleep.” He tells her, “and to pet a dog, but, no dogs around here to pet. So, I think the sleeping in was good enough.”

 

She smiles, pleased to see Jonah was acting normally. It had been a while, and she had missed him acting normal so much. She hoped he would stay this way.

 

Balo gets up from where she’s sitting, “I can go get her if you want?” She suggests, “so she doesn’t miss breakfast.” 

 

“Thank you, Balo.” Ches responds,”I appreciate it.”

 

The blonde girl opens the door to the room Effie was in, “Effie, it’s time for-” She gets cut of when Effie turns, tackling her into the room where everyone was standing.

 

“She’s turning!” Ivan calls out, and Ches shakes her head. Effie was fine, she would have told them if she had been bit, right?

 

But that wasn’t Effie the human trying to hurt Balo, and Ches looks frantically for her gun.

 

She doesn’t find it, however, as a gunshot goes off. She turns to see who had shot the girl, and sees Jonah, shaking up a storm as he turns the gun from Effie’s corpse to Anthony.

 

“This is your fault.” He yells, Ches raises her hands up, slowly walking towards her twin brother.

 

“Jonah, it’s no one’s fault. Put the gun down.” She says, knowing full well that he’d only listen to her. “Come on, give me the gun.”

 

He shakes his head. “All your fault.” He murmurs, turning the gun onto himself and shooting himself in the head. Ches feels her legs go out from under her, and she screams. She feels someone wrap her arms around her, and she turns slowly to see who it is, hugging Balo back when she realizes it’s the girl.

 

“I’m so sorry.” Balo whispers, and Ches shakes her head.

 

“It’s not your fault. It’s no one’s fault.” 


	9. Sun is Coming Up

Balo honestly was thankful Ches had decided to stay with them, as the seasons changed and summer became fall. She wasn’t laying down and giving up after Jonah and Effie’s deaths, which impressed her more and more each day. Ches had kept a few of Effie’s and Jonah’s belongings, the necklace around Ches’s neck had been Effie’s, the flannel she was wearing now was Jonah’s. 

 

Balo admired her strength, there was no doubt about that.

 

“What’s that?” Balo asks Ches, pointing to the thing in front of them. Ches shakes her head, clearly not sure what it is either.

 

“I don’t know, but that’s a lot of water being blocked off.” She admits, turning to Ivan. “Handsome, do you know what it is?”

 

“It’s a hydroelectric dam.” Ivan tells them, “it turns water into electricity, doll.”

 

Balo turns to Anthony, “you’ve been awfully quiet today.” She whispers to him, Anthony shrugs, and she frowns. “If you want to talk about it, or make out a bit or something, I’m here.” She promises. She always would be, she loved Anthony at this point, not that she’d admit it. The sex they had been having since that night in the radio tower meant nothing to him.

 

But it meant the world to her.

 

“I know.” He tells her, walking a little quicker. Ches steps back in line with Balo, raising an eyebrow.

 

“He seems off today.” Ches whispers, “You hurt him too much last night or something?” She questions, and Balo shakes her head.

 

“I don’t think so? Should I apologize?” She frets, Ches shakes her head no quickly.

 

“I wouldn’t. If you didn’t, it’d be awkward.” Ches says, “maybe it’s because we’re nearing Alan… they’re cousins, right?” She questions, Balo nods.

 

“Shouldn’t he be excited to see family?” Balo asks, “I’m excited about potentially seeing Grace again.” She admits.

 

“It depends, sometimes family separate on bad terms. Just, give him a bit of space, he’ll come to you if he decides he wants to.” Ches says, “Anthony has a lot of walls up, you’re not going to get past them unless he decides he wants you to.”

 

Balo nods, “I suppose you’re right.” She agrees, “let’s catch up to the boys.” 

  
The two walk up the stairs of the dam’s platform, and Balo notices that the walkway is broke. They were going to have to swim across or find another way. “Think we can make it across?” Balo questions.

 

“I think I could make it across. You see those wheels on either side, I bet they control those things.” Ches suggests, pointing to the lowered bridge. “If I swim across and we turn those at the same time. I bet we can get across.” She starts to take off her backpack, gently setting it down before taking off her off her flannel and necklace, handing them to Ivan.

 

“Be careful, doll.” Ivan tells her, and the redhead smiles. 

 

“Aren't I always, handsome?” She asks, jumping into the water before he can answer, swimming across the flowing water with ease and climbing up on the ledge. “You guys ready?” She calls over. Balo makes her way over to the wheel.

 

“Yeah!” She agrees, and the girls start to turn the wheels, and Balo grins when she hears a click and the bridge looks steady. Ches’s plan actually worked.

 

Ches walks across, taking her flannel and necklace from Ivan and putting her backpack on. “Thank you handsome. Be careful when crossing guys, it's a little slippery.” She warns them, carefully walking back across. Ivan follows, and Anthony gestures for Balo to go next. She smiles at him, following Ivan and turning around to ensure Anthony is following.

 

He makes it over a few moments after she does and the four leave the platform, starting to head up the hill. It was starting to become apparent they would have to cut through the power plant if they wanted to reach Jackson City, Alan's last known location.

 

“We’re going to have to cut through.” Ivan notes, Balo looks around. There was no other way than the way they came to reach Jackson City it looked like. She just hoped it wasn't inhabited.

 

As Ivan pushes on the door to the plant, however, it becomes apparent it is. “Tell your group to drop your weapons.” A man with an interesting mole pattern orders.  Balo does so quickly, setting it down quickly. Ches do not, however.

 

“Doll.” Ivan warns, and the redhead hesitantly sets her bow down, glaring at the man.

 

“You better hope you're lost.” The man tells them, one of the gunmen had vanished, and Balo glances around confused.

 

“We’re just passing through.” Ivan says, but before the man pointing the gun at them can question why, the gate to the power plant had opened, revealing another man.

 

“Sam, they're safe.” He tells them. Sam doesn't seem pleased with that answer.

 

“Do you know them?” Sam asks, and the man points to Anthony.

 

“That one is my goddamn cousin.” He tells them. “We’ve been dealing with bandit raids the past few days, so, we're all a little on edge.” 

 

“We thought we’d find you in Jackson, Alan.” Anthony tells him.

 

“Normally, yes, but we're trying to get the plant back running. We have electricity - well, had, but it should be back up soon.” Alan explains with a smile. Sam walks to join them, and Balo turns her attention from Alan to him. 

 

Ches picks up her bow, and Balo follows suit, picking up her gun now she knows no one is going to shoot her. Both weapons are put away, and Sam turns to look at Ches and Balo.

 

“What brings you out here?” Sam asks, the two girls look to each other, and Balo shakes her head slightly, not wanting to let Sam in on the secret she's immune. She didn't want to open that can of worms quite yet.

 

“It's kind of a long story.” Ches admits. Sam narrows his eyes at them, and Balo moves a little closer to Anthony on instinct.

 

“We should head in.” Alan suggests, “it's better not to be in the open too long around here.” He leads the way inside and the group follows inside. “False alarm, they're friendlies.” He yells, closing the gate and barricading it again after everyone is inside. 

 

Balo looks around, wide eyed at the bustle of activity. She hadn't seen an effective settlement since they had left the zone, especially one with a mixture of boys and girls. And from how Alan was talking, this wasn't even the real settlement.

 

As they go deeper into the plant, Ches stops for a moment, smiling. “You have horses.” She says, turning to Sam. “May I?”

 

“You may, she likes it when you scratch her ears.” Sam agrees. Ches smiles.

 

“Hey beautiful. How are you today?” Ches asks as she approaches the horse from the front left. Balo watches curiously as Ches interacts with the animal. It was clear she had experience.

 

“Do you know how to ride?” Sam asks Ches, who smiles and nods.

 

“I actually do.” Ches admits, before going back to talking to the horse. Ivan approaches, stopping next to Balo.

 

“Where did you learn to ride a horse, doll?” He asks, Ches smiles.

 

“There was this soldier back in my zone, France, he gave me lessons.” Ches admits, “thank you Sam.”

 

“No problem.” Sam replies before the group heads inside a building.

 

“You guys hungry?” Alan asks, Balo nods, her stomach rumbling as if on cue. “I'll take that as a yes.”

 

Before they can find food, however, the walkie talkie on Alan's belt goes off. “We're in the control room, about to start it back up. Do you want to come down?” The voice from the device says. Alan turns to Anthony.

 

“Do you want to come down with me? Your friend can come too.” He gestures to Ivan and Ches raises an eyebrow.

 

Ivan looks at her, mouthing something to quick for Balo to catch and Ches nods.

Anthony shrugs, “okay.” He agrees and Alan speaks into the walkie talkie. 

 

“I'll be right down, I'm bringing a couple friends.” He tells the man on the other side and he leads the way. Sam stays, going to find food.

 

“You two must be hungry.” He tells them as he takes out food from a fridge. Actual fresh fruit and vegetables.

 

Ches nods, “starving.” She admits, “food supplies are running a little lower than we'd like the last few days. Thank you.”

 

“No problem, what's your names?” Sam asks and  Balo frowns when she realizes they hadn't told Sam their names,

 

“I'm so sorry! I'm Balo, and this is Ches. We didn't mean to be rude!” Balo apologizes quickly, fretting. Sam gives her an easy grin.

 

“It's okay, honest, things have been busy.” Sam dismisses, and Balo tries to force herself to relax now she sees the man isn't mad. Ches rubs her back soothingly and she relaxes after a few minutes of that, smiling at her friend thankfully for the gesture. Sam puts the food down on the table, before going to grab plates.

 

“I haven't seen one of those since I left New York.” Ches admits when Sam sets the table. “Silverware yes, plates, not so much.” 

 

Sam smiles, “we have some plastic ones we can spare if you want?” He suggests and Ches shakes her head.

 

“We don't want to intrude too much, but, thank you, Sam. We appreciate it.” She tells him. “Is there anything we can do to help?”

 

“You two can sit down, you must have had a long journey considering you mentioned New York.” Sam tells them. Ches smiles as he brings a pitcher of water and cups over, sitting down at the table, the two girls join him and the three start to eat.

 

\---

 

Of course there couldn't be a peaceful lunch, but Balo had to admit, she has enjoyed the part of it that didn't have bandits breaking in. Sam seemed cool, there was no doubt about that.

 

But right now? Well, there were bandits swarming in. Lots of them. Balo shoots one coming towards Ches and Ches smiles at her as she turns around to shoot another one.

 

“There's a lot of bandits today.” Sam notes, shaking his head. “I wonder when they're going to learn.” 

 

“These one do seem not to get the memo.” Ches agrees, switching to her gun.  They keep shooting bandits for awhile, until they hear gunshots on the other side of the door. Balo turns around as the door opens, smiling when she sees who it is.

 

“Hi Ivan! Hi Anthony!” She greets her boys. Alan walks to Sam, checking him over quickly. 

 

“You okay, Sammy?” Alan asks, Sam nods.

 

“Just a couple bandits, nothing we couldn't handle, Alan.” Sam assures him, Alan kisses his forehead and Balo smiles. They were a couple, that explained a lot. 

 

Anthony walks up behind her, leaning to whisper in her ear. “You want to sneak off for a few minutes?” He asks, and Balo nods.

 

“I want to show B the plant now it's working again.” Anthony announces after he pulls away, Ivan gives Anthony a look and Balo grins.

 

“It was my idea.” She assures Ivan, he still doesn't seem pleased, as if he knew what they were doing. He probably did, Ches knew. As long as the man who had quickly became like an older brother to her didn't hurt Anthony, however, it would be okay.

 

At least, she hoped it would be okay.

\--

 

Balo rather liked tracing the scratches on Anthony’s back, it was always nice, to admire her handiwork - and to add more. Anthony was working on giving her a hickey, right under where her shirt would normally be.

 

Of course, Balo wasn't exactly expecting anyone to walk in.

 

“Anthony, can we talk- shit!” Alan looks away upon realizing what they're in the process of doing, and Balo moans as Anthony gets a little rougher with her, her nails digging in deeper in the process.

 

“Don't like the view, Alan?” Anthony teases as his lips pull away from the hickey he had made.  Balo scratches down Anthony's back, trying to pull him closer as she does so.

 

“We’ll talk later.” Alan says, leaving quickly and Balo pulls Anthony in for a kiss, continuing to do what they were doing.

 

\--

 

After they get back dressed, the two head back to join up with Sam, Alan, Ches, and Ivan. Ivan gives Anthony a look, and Balo can't help but sense that Alan told what he had walked in on.

 

That could cause problems.

 

“Alan told us where the Fireflies base is.” Ivan tells them. “He offered to lend us two horses to get there too.”

 

“Thank you!” Balo says, smiling at Alan. “Thank you so much.”

 

Ches shakes her head slightly, it's brief, but Balo catches on to it. Something was wrong. She could sense it from how Ches was postured. The question was, what was going on?

 

Alan turns to Anthony. “Anthony, you and your friends are welcome to stay here if you'd like. Ivan and Ches already denied my offer for the moment, but, if you want to stay here, you can.”

 

Balo turns to look at Anthony, fear coursing through her veins. She didn't want Anthony to leave, she loved him. But this was his family, he'd probably be happier here. So, she bites back the urge to ask him to stay, just turning and walking out of the room.

 

It was better this way, she told herself, he’d be happier here. She walks over to the nearest horse, talking to them about them being beautiful before she pets it.

 

“B!” She hears a voice call for her, and she frowns when she realizes who's voice it is. She didn't want to hear Anthony say goodbye yet. But he comes over upon seeing her anyway, “there you are. You scared Ches when you just left.”

 

“Did she send you?” Balo questions, turning to look at him. He shakes his head no.

 

“B, what's wrong?” He asks, and Balo eyes widen. Why would he ask that?

 

“There's nothing wrong. Don't worry! Honest!” She lies, and from the look he gives her, she has a feeling he knows she's lying. “You don't want to hear this.” She warns him.

 

“Try me.” He challenges, and Balo takes a deep breath, preparing herself for rejection as looks down at her feet.

 

“I don't want you to stay here. I want you to come with us, but, Alan's your family… it'd be selfish to ask you to come.” She admits, “but, I don't want to lose you, and I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything,” he tilts her chin up, smiling at her, a genuine smile for the first time since she met him.

 

“Good thing I told Alan no, hmm?” Anthony tells her, and she blinks.

 

“You're not staying here?” She questions, there was no way he was leaving with them. He was with family, but Anthony nods.

 

“I'm coming with you. You're not getting rid of me that easily.” He tells her and she hugs him tight. He freezes for a moment, but then his arms wrap around her, and Balo thanks her lucky stars for this moment.

 

The man she loved was hugging her, it was a good moment indeed.

 


	10. Why?

Balo’s arms were wrapped around Anthony’s waist as the approached the University of Eastern Colorado on Rainbow. Alan hadn’t exactly given them the name of the horses when they had took them, so Balo and Ches had named the horses affectionately. The one that Ches and Ivan were riding was named Lucky.

 

Balo thought Rainbow had the better of the names, in all honesty.

 

“So we’re looking for a giant mirror?” Balo questions, Ches nods.

 

“Yup!” She tells her, looking over to her and smiling. “We should head to the center of campus. We’ll probably be able to see most of the buildings from there.”  She looks at Ivan to confirm, and he nods.

 

“I can agree with that plan.” Ivan tells the girls. Anthony starts to ride off in the direction the map was pointing to for the center of campus, Ches following them on Lucky. 

 

“It looks like we’re going to have to cut through this building to get to the center.” Anthony notes. “It looks like we should be get the horse through here.”

 

They don’t get very far in the building until they reach a hallway with a gate. “Let me get it.” Balo suggests, and Anthony stills the horse, allowing her to climb down. Ivan climbs down too, and she smiles at him, moving to open the gate. 

 

She can hear a noise other the gate when opens it, and when the horses spook. Ivan moves to steady the one Anthony is on before it knocks him off. Ches manages to calm Lucky on her own.

 

“Why’d you calm my horse?” Anthony asks Ivan, who smirks.

 

“Ches didn’t need the help.” He points out. “Balo, did you hear that?”

 

“Runners.” Balo replies. “Although I wonder why the Fireflies have a building full of runners?”  She questions, as she reopens the gate. It doesn’t stay open, so she slips through quickly. Ivan follows her quickly and the two start to to head for the gate on the other side, not seeing any runners downstairs. There’s a note on the wall next to the control panel, and she turns to Ivan.

 

“The note says both gates run on the generator upstairs.” Balo says, “ready to kill some runners?”

 

“Of course.”

 

\--

 

Balo was relieved it was only runners, runners were much easier to kill then clickers, and less scary than the legendary bloaters she had heard stories about. Of course, she had never seen one, but she believed the stories.

 

“I think that’s the last of them.” Ivan tells her, and she looks around. She didn’t see or hear any more of them.

 

“I think you’re right.” She agrees, “but can we wait on doing the generator for a moment. I want to talk to you.”

 

He nods, sitting down on a table nearby, and she sits next to him. “Do you like Ches?” She asks, “you two seem to be getting closer, and I’m genuinely concerned, because she seems to really like you.” 

 

Ivan ruffles her hair, “do you like Anthony?” He questions, clearly avoiding the question.

 

She nods, “I love him, Ivan.” She admits, “I didn’t think I would when we started messing around, but I really love him.” She then gives him a look. “But you avoided my question.” 

 

“Let’s get this generator going so we can get you to those Fireflies.” He ruffles her hair again, getting up and starting the generator. 

 

She sighs, “I’ll meet you downstairs?” She suggest and he smiles.

  
“I’m right behind you.”

 

\--

 

Getting to the center of campus was easy, but getting into the science lab was going to be harder. The tall building with glass windows had barricades on all sides, and no easy way to get through them - at least - so far. They hadn’t ridden around the whole building yet.

 

“Guys, look.” Balo gestures to a metal gate. “Think we could open that?” She questions, Anthony rides over to it, and she climbs down and tries to shove it, quickly realizing it was rusted shut. “Maybe we can get over it?” She suggests.

 

“There was dumpster up there, we could do the good old dumpster method, it’s been a bit since we had to do that.” Ches suggests.

 

“We can try that.” Anthony agrees, he seems off again, like the day they went to Alan’s and Balo frowns, holding him a little bit tighter. 

 

“Can you two move the dumpster?” Balo asks Ivan and Ches, who ride up to where they had seen the dumpster. “Anthony, what’s wrong?” She asks.

 

“Nothing.” He answers, but it sounded like he was lying. Balo knew him well enough at this point to know something was off.

 

“Don’t lie to me Anthony. Something’s off.” She tells him. “You’re very quiet today.”

 

“I don’t want to discuss it.” Anthony tells her, “and that’s all I’m saying.” She leans forward slightly, kissing his cheek.

 

“Alright, but we’re having sex later to make you feel better, I’ll mark you up real good.” She promises.

 

“Balo, we made it to the Fireflies.” He tells her and she shrugs.

 

“I’m sure whatever they need from me will be a ‘we do this thing, you can go back with Anthony, Ivan, and Ches’ deal.” She assures him, “I’m not leaving you guys, not unless you want me to leave you guys.”

 

Anthony doesn’t have time to answer, because a dumpster comes rolling down the hill and they have to move the horse before it gets hit. The dumpster hits the gate, and it opens.

 

“Well, that’s not what we had in mind, but it works!” Ches declares as she makes her way down the hill, Ivan close behind her. “But I think our best bet is climbing in through that broken wall, so the dumpster? Still going to be useful.” She tells them. Ivan helps her slide the dumpster against the truck.

 

With that, Balo gets off the horse, climbing up onto the dumpster. “You guys coming? The sooner we find the Fireflies, the sooner we can get out of here.”

 

\--

 

Finding the Fireflies was a bust, finding out they tested on infected monkeys and where they left to, however, was not. It had taken a lot of searching through abandoned rooms, and listening to abandoned tape recorders, but, they had found the answers. Balo couldn’t deny that she was relieved to know that the Fireflies were still out there somewhere, maybe her sister was still alive too?

 

But of course, as soon as they found the answers, they ran into a group of gun happy survivors.

 

“I really hate these bastards.” Ches murmurs, taking an axe off a corpse. “And what’s with these jackasses all carrying axes? Are they a bunch of pissy lumberjacks?” 

 

Ivan chuckles, as if amused by Ches as she shoots yet another member of the group she was referring to as the pissy lumberjacks. Balo just smiles at the two.

 

They were cute, stubborn, but cute.

 

“I’m gonna check the stairs, I’ll be right back.” Ivan says, and he walks out of the hallway onto the balcony. Balo doesn’t even realize what’s going on until a man appears out of nowhere and tackles Ivan off the side, and Ches screams.

 

There’s a gunshot, and Balo follows Ches as she climbs down. Ivan is alive, but it’s not a pretty sight. A metal bar is impaling his torso, and Ches is begging him to stay with her, asking him what she’s supposed to do.

 

“Move.” Ivan tells her, and Ches moves aside as the door opens, letting Ivan shoot one while the redhead shoots the other. Balo looks over to Anthony, panicked.

 

“Anthony, what do we do?” She whispers. Anthony walks over to Ivan

 

“Ivan, we’re gonna have to pull you off of this.” He tells her, “it’s going to hurt.”

 

“I’ll be fine.” Ivan assures them, and Ches glares at him.

 

“I’ll do it. Ivan, you lean on me. I don’t give a flying shit if you think you can walk, okay? You’re leaning on me or when you get better I swear…” Ches leaves the threat open-ended, Balo could understand why. Ches seemed to really care for Ivan, she had no doubt about it, Ches was scared.

 

“We’ll cover you two. We need to get him out of here.” Balo tells them, looking to Anthony for confirmation. The man nods in agreement.

 

“Come on, let’s go.”  Balo suggests.

 

“I’m so sorry, Ivan.” Ches whispers as she pulls him up. Ivan grunts in pain, and from the amount of blood pouring out of the wound and covering Ches’s hands and clothes, it’s not a good one.

 

“I can walk.” Ivan tries, and Ches glares.

 

“What did I say, handsome?” She says, “now lean on me or I swear…” He does as told, however, although he smiles at her.

 

“You swear what, doll?” He teases as they begin to walk. Ches doesn’t warrant it with an answer however, just winking at him.

 

Balo shoot the man she notices in the next room as they head towards the entrance. “Ches, how’s he holding up? She asks, she was scared, Ivan was family at this point, if anything happened to him?   
  
She didn’t want to imagine it.

 

“I’m fine.” Ivan tells them, although if the blood trail under him was any hint, he was far from fine. They had to get him out of here and somewhere they could take care of him. They had to.   
  


Ivan had to make it, Balo didn’t know what she would do if he didn’t.

 

They get Ivan to the horses, and Ches helps him up onto Lucky. Although Ivan seems very faint as the group rides away from the college. Balo hides her face in Anthony’s shoulder, trying to hold back tears as they ride away as fast as they can.

 

She had to be strong, she didn’t want to scare Ches more by letting her know that she was scared, after all.


	11. Stay With Me

Ches was terrified, absolutely and completely terrified. Ivan couldn’t leave her. Not at this point, and she’d do everything in her power to prevent that from happening. After all, he was her best friend, her partner in crime at this point. She didn’t want to lose him too.

 

She’d lost so much, death could fuck off, she was keeping her Ivan.

 

They make it to an abandoned mall, and they get Ivan inside quickly, cleaning off a table in the frozen yogurt store and covering it in their blankets as fast as they can before moving Ivan onto it. “There’s duct tape in a bag, right?” Ches questions quickly, Balo hands her the roll, and Ches takes some of her clothing and tapes it around his waist tight.

 

“I’ll be right back, you two keep an eye on him.” She order, Balo gets up to follow her, and Ches stops, shaking her head.

 

“Ches, I don’t think you should be alone.” Balo tell her, and Ches shakes her head again.

 

“I need to get stuff to stitch him up, and I need you two to keep the pressure on that wound. Okay? If I’m not back soon, one of you go out to find supplies. Nothing can happen to him, you understand?” Ches orders, Balo nods, and she turns away, sneaking out of the store, closing the gate over the store, marking it as closed and heading into the mall to find supplies.

 

She heads for the medical supply store first, breaking the lock to the store open with her axe, thankful that she had looted it off the pissy lumberjack crew. It looked like it had been rummaged through mostly, and she curses under her breath when she realizes nothing in here was going to be of use to her. Not even the open first aid kid in the back room she could see through the window.

 

Perhaps there was a craft store somewhere, they had to have needle and threads? Right?

 

She starts to leave the shop to find one, when she hears infected and gunshots. Great, they had been followed. That was just what they needed to deal with now. She curses, sneaking out of the room as quietly as she can manage and starts to look around the mall.

 

That’s when she spots it, a crashed helicopter. She could clearly see the untouched first aid kit in it from where she was standing.But how was she going to get to it? She sneaks the direction of it, cursing when she realizes the only way to get to it is staircase blocked off by one of those military gates.

 

Fuck the military.

 

She looks around for a generator, cursing when she realizes there isn’t one in the nearby area. She can see the wires leading to where the one it was plugged into was. Of course she had to play a game of follow the wires.

 

\---

 

Follow the wires wasn’t a bad game, if it wasn’t for the infected and the jackass lumberjack squad. She could only throw so many bottles to get them to fight each other until she’d have to start using her bow.

 

She wouldn’t dare use her gun, between the pissy lumberjacks and the infected? She didn’t want to draw their attention with the sound.

 

When she finally reaches the generator, she doesn’t hesitate to turn it on, quickly running back to the door and opening it. Now she just had to climb to that helicopter, on the broken glass ceiling, in the newly falling snow. Ivan was worth it, she had no doubt about that when she climbed up onto the pieces of broken ceiling. “Just a little jump, Chessie, you can do it.” She whispers to herself, jumping into the helicopter, grabbing onto the metal under seat when the helicopter starts to shift. Once she feel it’s steady enough again, she moves, slowly crawling to the first aid kit and checking everything she would need is inside, hugging the kit to her chest when she realizes it’s all there before slipping it into her backpack.

 

Now to get down.

 

She goes the side of the helicopter closest to floor, jumping down, hoping that the landing doesn’t hurt too much. It hurts a little, but Ivan was worth it.

 

He would always be worth it.

 

She sneaks through the mall again, throwing nail bombs and shooting arrows as she needed to. Infected or human, she didn’t keep track, just paid enough attention to ensure it wasn’t Anthony or Balo.

 

She reaches the frozen yogurt shop eventually, opening the gate, and running to Ivan quickly, taking out the kit. Balo had wrapped Ivan up in blankets, and she looks over to the girl. “He’s out.” Ches whispers.

 

“He’s still alive.” Anthony promises and she nods.

 

“There’s the stuff for blood transfusions and to sew him up in here, medication. I got it from a military helicopter.” Ches tells them, “I have O- blood, that’s not a problem, the problem is I don’t know how to do the transfusion after we get him stitched up.”

 

“I’ve done one before, military was starting to train me to be a medic.” Balo admits, “said it was the only thing I’d be useful for. I can do it. We just have to get him stitched up.” She tells her. “I wish we had proper medical equipment, I don’t know if he hit any organs and…”

 

“Ivan is going to be fine.” Ches snaps. “He has to be.”

 

She didn’t know what she would do without him.

 

\---

 

Ches was munching on a can of peaches when Ivan woke up. They had moved him to a house in the nearby town of Silver Lake. After all, it was safer than leaving him in the mall with the hunters looking for them. She hadn’t left his side, sitting right next to his bed in a chair..

 

“Hey, doll.” He tries to sit up, and Ches pushes him right back down carefully.

 

“Not yet, you can’t pop your stitches.” She tells him. “B’s with Anthony, or I’d ask her the best way to get you to sit up.” She brushes his hair back slightly, “I was so scared, Ivan. If I had lost you…”

 

“You’re not going to lose me.” Ivan assures her, “it’d take a lot to kill me.” 

 

Ches nods, “Still, I love you, if I had lost you, I don’t know what I would have done.” She admits, and then she realizes what she had said.

 

She admitted to loving Ivan. She’d never live this one down, he’d probably tease her for the rest of her life.

 

But he pats the spot next to him on the bed, “Come here, doll.” He whispers, “lay with me.” She sets the can of peaches down before climbing into bed besides him, and he turns his head slightly to plant a kiss in her hair. She freezes, not sure what to expect, and he takes her hand.

 

“You know, I love you too.” He whispers, and she relaxes.

 

“Thank god, I thought I’d never live this down.” She admits, intertwining their fingers. Ivan smiles at her, and she can't help but grin back at him. “Stop doing that, I can’t kiss you like I want to right now.” She tells him.

 

“Oh? You want to kiss me?” He asks, and she nods.

 

“Of course I want to kiss you.” She tells him, “but, I have to wait until those stitches are out, better safe than sorry, you know?” She smiles, “But know, as soon as I can, I’m kissing you. No doubt about that.”

 

He grins, “looking forward to it, doll.” He tells her, and she very carefully cuddles closer to him.

 

Ivan could have died on her, she knew that, but here he was, telling her he was looking forward to kissing her. It seemed like things would only get better from here.

 

She just hoped she was right.


	12. I Screamed So Loud (But No One Heard A Thing)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the chapter the rape/non-con warning is for, just a heads up.

Ches was starting to get worried the more days had passed. Ivan had some sort of infection, that much was clear, he was running a fever, and he shook like he was cold, a lot. But she wasn’t sure what she could do, without medicine, she just had to hope it would pass on it’s own. They had removed his stitches, but she still hadn’t kissed him. He wasn’t awake often enough these days to kiss him, and she wasn’t doing it when he was asleep.

 

So she decided to go hunting, she put on her lace up boots, took Lucky, and went tracking. She had gotten a rabbit already, and it was hanging on the other side of the tree she had tied the horse to.

 

She was currently following a set of deer tracks, trying to ensure she was quiet, and when she sees the deer, and realizes she could get it, she goes for the kill, shooting it with an arrow and chasing after it when it fled.

 

Of course the deer had to pick a creepy old mine to flee to.

 

She follows the trail of blood to the deer, smiling when she sees it's dead. That could feed them for a bit. Her joy is short lived, however, when she hears footsteps. She turns her bow towards the sound, “come out.” She orders. Two men step out and Ches narrows her eyes. Something seemed off about them. “Why were you lurking over there?” She questions, “I don’t like your answer, I put one between his eyes.”

 

“I’m Marley, this is James. This winter has been especially cruel, and we were wondering if you’d be willing to trade some of that meat. We have women and children, all very hungry.” The man she’s pointing the bow at says.

 

“Do you have antibiotics?” She asks, when she hears her own voice, it’s more eager than she hoped it would be, and Marley smiles at her.

 

“We do.” He tells her.

 

“I’m willing to trade the whole deer for antibiotics.” She tells them.

 

“If you come with us, we can do a trade.” Marley agrees, Ches shakes her head. She wasn’t going anywhere with them.

 

“Send buddy boy over there to get it and bring it back here, or no deal. I’m not going anywhere with you.” Ches needed those antibiotics, but she wasn’t risking walking into a trap. Ivan would be so mad at her if she was too reckless.

 

Marley turns to James, “James, go get two bottles of the penicillin and a syringe.” He tells the other man, “and bring them here. I’ll stay with the deer.”

 

James nods, leaving and Marley turns to her.

 

“Would you mind if we took shelter from the cold?” He questions, Ches narrows her eyes before nodding.

 

“Fine, but take him with us.” She tilts her head in the direction of the deer and Marley moves, picking the deer up by the antlers and starting to drag it towards one of the mine buildings. Ches follows, pointing an arrow at him the whole time. He sets the deer down to open a door, and the two enter the building, Marley leaving the deer in the corner near a tarp.

 

“Is it okay if I start a fire?” Marley asks, and Ches sighs.

 

“Look, as long as you don’t do anything to hurt me, or screw me over on this deal. I don’t care.” She tells him.

 

The fire is started fairly quickly, Marley sits by it, Ches opts to sit next to the deer. She didn’t feel exactly safe around this man, something about him put her on edge, although she couldn’t put her finger on what. She was going to trust her gut on this one too, he’d given her no reason to believe it was wrong.

 

“What’s your name?” Marley asks, and she glares at him.

 

“Why?” She asks, and he shrugs.

 

“Just trying to be friendly. You seem to really care about whoever’s hurt.” He notes, “considering you were willing to trade a whole deer for them.”

 

Ches doesn’t comment, just jumping up. “Do you hear that?” She asks, the man stands up too, pulling out his gun.

 

“Shit, runners.” Marley curses, of course infected had to attack when she was stuck with this man. He moves to cover the deer with the tarp. “Hopefully they don’t find him.” He says.

 

The two fight off infected for a while, until it’s clear that being stuck in this room is going to kill them. “We’re gonna have to move.” He tells her, Ches nods following him into the next room and up the stairs.

 

“Cover the stairs, I’m gonna block them for now.” Marley tells her, she nods, shooting the infected coming up them with her bow as he pushes a metal storage cabinet in front of the steps. 

 

“We’re going to have to keep moving, this is a lot of infected.” She tells him, they’d have to keep moving - and working together if they wanted out of this situation - and she wasn’t sure she liked the sound of it, but getting that medicine - and getting back to Ivan - were priority.

 

Her comfort didn’t matter right now, both their survival was vital for Ivan to get better.

 

And she wasn't risking it, not at all.

 

So they keep running, keep shooting the runners coming in. Ches eventually had to switch to her pistol, not wanting to run out of arrows. It felt like forever, shooting infected, keeping them off Marley when he was stupid enough to almost get grabbed.

 

Honestly, her dislike for him grew by the minute. 

 

Eventually the infected stop coming, their noises are non-existent, and that only meant one thing.

 

“It's over!” She whispers. Marley gives her a dirty look.

 

“What do you mean, “it's over?”” He questions and Ches smiles regardless of her unease.

 

“The silence, the infected are gone. We can go back and check on the deer.” She tells him, “I hope he’s okay.”

 

“I’m sure it's fine.” Marley dismisses as they go to head back the way they came. Ches honestly hoped the deer was fine, and the trade would go perfectly.

 

She wasn't sure what she'd do if it wasn't.

 

\--

 

“Told you it'd be okay.” Marley says as the move the tarp off of the deer. He was in perfect condition still, no doubt about that. 

 

She nods, thankful it did turn out okay. “I was worried.” She admits.

 

“You're one of the girls from the massacre at the school, aren't you?” Marley asks, Ches doesn't have time to think of an excuse before James walks in.

 

“If she is, she can't walk. Those bastards killed way too many of our men,” James says. Ches raises an eyebrow.

 

“Maybe your men attacked them and they had no choice, ever think of that?” She snaps, and James turns his gun on her.

 

“You are one of them.”

 

“Enough!” Marley yells, “James put the gun down and give her the medicine.”

 

“The others won't be happy about this.” He tells Marley, putting his gun on the floor of the mine and offering her the penicillin and syringe, Ches hesitates for a moment, before darting to grab the medication. 

 

“Thank you.” She tells them, “I'm gonna go, we’ll be gone as soon as we're able to. Promise.” She runs off after that, hoping to get far enough away before they changed their minds.

 

She had to get back to Ivan, make sure the medication got to him.

 

\--

 

When she arrives back to the house, Anthony is standing guard by the door. “How's he doing?” She questions. The man shrugs.

 

“He's awake.” He tells her, and she hands him the rabbit before running upstairs. Ivan is talking to Balo when she enters, and two stop whispering when she enters the room. 

 

“I brought you something.” She tells Balo, giving her the penicillin. “That cost me a whole deer, but, Ivan's worth it.” She moves to sit next to Ivan in her regular chair.

 

“Doll.” He whispers, taking her hand. She squeezes it gently, smiling at him.

 

“Hey handsome. I got you some medicine.” She tells him. “You're gonna get better.” 

 

“I heard, you traded a whole deer?” He questions and she nods.

 

“You’re worth it, always.” She promises leaning over and kissing his forehead.

 

“Ivan, I’m going to give you some of the medicine now.” Balo tells him, “lay down.”

 

Ches pulls away from him, releasing his hand and Ivan sighs, doing as he’s told anyway so Balo can inject the medication.

 

He doesn’t protest or complain as she does so, just closing his eyes, and Balo smiles. “You did good, Ivan.” She tells him. “I’m going to give you two a bit of time alone.”

 

Ches watches as Balo leaves before she turns to look back to Ivan.

 

“I love you.” She whispers to him, and he opens his eyes.

 

“I love you too, come lay with me?” He asks and she nods, climbing into the bed and cuddling up to him. “Can I kiss you yet?”   
  
She thinks about it for a moment, before pressing her lips against his. He pulls her closer, and she parts her lips, allowing him to deepen the kiss.

 

Eventually she has to pull away to catch her breath and she smiles at him. “That was so worth the wait.” She tells him.

 

Ivan grins at her in response. “I’m gonna take a nap, I’ll see you when I wake up.” He tells her and she nods slightly.

 

“You know it.” She agrees, shutting her eyes. A nap sounded good to her too.   
  


\--

 

Ches wakes up to Anthony gently shaking her, Ivan was still asleep, which was alarming on it’s own considering he was the lightest sleeper she had ever met. “What’s going on?” She yawns

 

“You were followed.” He tells her and she frowns.

 

“What?” She questions, starting to slip out of Ivan’s arms. “Those bastards.”   
  
“You traded with the people from the college.” It’s not a question and Ches nods.

 

“I didn’t know until James got back with the medicine, and I wasn’t walking out without it.” She tells him, “I told them we’d leave as soon as we could - I wasn’t expecting them to track me. I’ll lure them away.” She tells them. “You and B better keep giving him his medicine - and if I’m not back in three days? I’m dead. Okay?”

 

“Ches…” Balo says from the doorway. “Are you sure? There has to be something else…”   
  


Ches shakes her head. “There isn’t, give me three days. If Ivan asks, make excuses or something, okay?” She puts her boots back on, heading for the doorway.

 

“Be safe, Chessie.” The blonde girl whispers, and she smiles.

 

“Aren’t I always?”

 

\--

 

Ches knew she had to get them away from Ivan, as far away from him as possible - she didn’t want anything to happen to him, she loved him, and he had to get Balo to the fireflies. Marley had taken too much interest in her after the run in with the infected it seemed if he sent men after her - and she had to lead them away. She’d round back, come back for Ivan, Anthony and Balo   
  
She had left most of the weapons with them, only taking her knife, her bow, and her arrows. It was the best course of action - just in case. She didn’t want to leave any of them without weapons after all.   
  
So she took the horse Ivan and her usually rode as far she could before they killed Lucky - the damn bastards -  and darted off. She jumped through broken windows, snuck through buildings, and started making her way around - hoping that she’d be able to kill enough people with her bow to prevent them from tracking her down and hurting Ivan.   
  
While Anthony and B could handle themselves, she wanted bare minimum people getting to them.    
  
She enters the lodge, taking a few people out as she does so and sneaking around the bodies carefully - she had to get back to Ivan. She didn’t see Marley coming up behind her until she’s almost out of the lodge. His arms go around her neck, that was it, it had to be. She had killed so many of his men - he might have let her go the first time during the trade to get the medicine for Ivan - but the odds of him letting her go twice were slim.   
  
“Stop! I’m trying to keep you alive” is the last words she hears before she’s out.   
  
\--   
  
She wakes up in a cage, greeted by the sight of James chopping into a human body. She jumps, and he laughs - leaving the room. Great, she was kidnapped by cannibals - and she had no idea how long she was out. That was not ideal in the slightest.   
  
She was probably next - it was a good thing she left behind most of the weapons. She checks her person quickly, noticing Effie’s locket is still around her neck. The knife and her bow is gone - but they let her keep her valuables? That was weird.   
  
She backs up when she notices Marley enter the room with food, People weren’t in her diet - and she wasn’t about to introduce them now. “Nice to see you’re awake.” He greets her, she narrows her eyes.   
  
“How long have I been out?” She questions - she had three days to reach the group. The man smiles - it’s sickly sweet and she narrows her eyes.   
  
“Two days.” He assures her, “I thought you might be hungry.”  She looks over to the body, before shaking her head.   
  
“I’m not hungry.” She says coldly, he shakes his head.   
  
“Suit yourself, what’s your name anyway. I doubt little girl is it.” He chuckles, she glares, she was twenty years old - nowhere near a little girl - unless he meant height wise. He looks amused by her face - if only she had weapons.   
  
“You’re a monster, you know that.” She tells him, and he shakes his head.   
  
“I’m doing what i have to do to survive, now, tell me your name - it’s the only way to get the others to come around.” He tells her, come around? What did he mean by that?   
  
“Come around?” She questions out loud, and he smiles.   
  
“To let me keep you - for you to stay here.” He tells her, and she shakes her head.   
  
“I’m not staying here. Just, let me out. As soon as he’s healthy - we’ll be gone.” She promises, he rolls her eyes.   
  
“It’s the only way you’re getting out of this cage alive, sweetheart, your friends will be dead soon enough.” He dismisses, “it’s every man for himself out there. Here? You have a chance to be in a community”   
  
“You eat people!”   
  
“And you kill them! How many of my men have you killed? Have you even kept track?” He scoffs, “I bet none of that is yours - where would you get a fancy necklace like that out there?” He questions, putting his hand on the bar. When he moves, she can see the keys - if she can get to them.   
  
“It was my sister’s.” She informs him, stepping closer. She had to get the keys. “She died over the summer, she was bitten. My brother killed her - then himself.” It hurt to talk about Jonah and Effie - but she needed his sympathies, needed to get the keys. Once she had them? She’d be out.    
  
It seems to work, and he reaches through the bars.   
  
“Just tell me your name.” He asks, and she nods.   
  
“Ches.” She touches his hand, pulling him into the bars with all her strength and twisting his arm with all the force she can. She can hear the bone crack as she lunges for the keys, slipping them to her and into her pocket - hoping the pain is enough for him not to notice that she took his keys.   
  
“What the fuck, what am I supposed to tell them now, Ches?” He questions, and she smirks.   
  
“That Ches was the little girl who broke your arm?” She suggests and he scowls.   
  
“You see that body? That’s going to be you tomorrow morning.” He promises her, scurrying out. He doesn’t even notice her smile as he leaves - thankfully too, because she still has his keys - and she didn’t want him noticing her breaking out. She waits a few minutes - to see if the footsteps are really gone before she opens the gate, darting out of the room. She spies her knife on the table, and she grabs it before jumping out of the window and into the snow.   
  
\--   
  
Why did it have to be winter? The snow covered and hindered her at the same time - she had killed so many people, and she wasn’t sure she was heading in the right direction when she climbed into the window to the steak house. She was hoping, she had to get back to Ivan - but the storm was intense - if she could hide out here successfully until the storm died down a bit? She’d be fine.   
  
But fate seemed to have it’s own special way of biting her in the ass.   
  
The door opens, and she can see Marley, a makeshift sling on his arm, but otherwise unharmed. “Come out come out wherever you are.” He sings, and she tries to sneak for the door, stepping on glass - fuck. “You want out? You’re gonna have to get these keys.”    
  
Of course he locked it - it couldn’t be as simple as getting to the door. He’s making her way towards her, setting the room on fire as he goes, and she starts to move. He was insane - it wasn’t a word she liked to use - but there was no better fitting word for him.   
  
She treads carefully, hoping that she can get to him, get the keys, kill him, and get out. She manages to see him with his back turned by a table, and she lunges, stabbing him. He shoves her on the table after she does so, and she lands in broken glass.   
  
There went that plan.   
  
He shoves her to the ground and she whimpers, fuck, it hurt. Perhaps she should have taken the food - she was tired. But when she sees a machete on the ground, well, she knows she’s not giving up without a fight. She crawls towards it, and he chuckles.   
  
“You have heart. It’s okay to give up you know, I’ll make it quick.” He sounds so smug, and she rolls her eyes, continuing the crawl for the weapon. He kicks her, hard in the ribs, and damn it hurt - but still she crawls for it. She had to reach it.   
  
“Of course, that doesn’t seem to be your style.” He admits, “you have heart, it’s going to be great to see the look in your eyes as I break you before I kill you.” He grabs her by her hair, shoving her all the way down. “You could beg.”   
  
“Fuck you.”   
  
“I have full intentions on fucking you.” He chuckles, trying for her pants. The machete was just in reach, and she grabs it, turning around as fast as she can and starting to hack at his face.   
  
She doesn’t stop, just continues to hack. One for the thing that bit her sister, one for the gun that Jonah used to kill himself, one for the man who hurt Ivan, one for everything that went wrong since she met up with Ivan, Anthony and Balo.   
  
She wasn’t sure how long she was hacking at his skull when a man pulls her away. “Don’t touch me!” She cries, a girl takes the machete out of her hand as he makes her look at him.   
  
“Are you okay?” Ivan’s voice meets her ears and she starts to cry, clinging to the man now she recognizes who it is.   
  
“He tried to - oh god.” She sobs as Ivan helps her stand up. Balo comes over, the machete ditched somewhere in the room. The three exit the building and meet up with Anthony, Ches clinging to Ivan and refusing to let go the whole time.


	13. Fireflies

Balo wasn’t sure how she felt to be approaching the Fireflies. It had been a long journey, winter had turned to spring. Ivan got better, and she fell more in love with Anthony as the days went on. Every day she loved him more, and it almost seemed as if he was letting her in more.

 

Perhaps he had been for awhile, and she hadn’t noticed it. She gives him a smile from where she walked next to Ches.

 

“How are you feeling?” She asks the redhead, she’d been through a lot over the past few months. There was no doubt about that. They had gotten away from Silver Lake as soon as they could, collected their stuff and the remaining horse.

 

Balo missed Rainbow in all honestly, they had killed the horse not long after that for food, opting to find a car instead. The boys had to do that, in all honesty, Ches had opted for holding a crying Balo away from where the horse was killed, giving her to Anthony only after his hands were clean.

 

But they had hit another highway block right outside of where the Fireflies were located, so they were walking through Salt Lake City.

 

“I’m okay, don’t worry about me. How are you feeling?” Ches questions, and Balo sighs.

 

“I honestly don’t know. What if Grace isn’t there?” She questions, it had been almost a year since she saw her sister last - what if the woman had died? Or if she had left Saint Mary’s? She wasn’t sure how she’d feel.

 

“She’ll be there.” Ches says, taking her hand and squeezing it. “I can feel it.” She released Balo’s hand as Anthony catches up to them, dropping back to walk with Ivan as they approach a bus station.

 

“What was that about?” Anthony questions.

 

“Ches was just trying to reassure me about Grace.” She admits, “I just, I can’t believe we’re almost there.” She tells him.

 

“If she’s there, are you going to stay?” He asks and she shakes her head no.

 

“No, I’ll try to give her a hug, tell her to do what she has to do, and then we’ll figure out where we go from here together.” She tells him, “if that’s okay… of course.”

 

“It’s more than okay with me.” Anthony assures her, and she smiles at him as they enter the bus station. The surrounding area seemed blocked off, this was their best bet to reach the hospital.

 

It made sense, given the amount of blocks on the way to the science center in Colorado. The group looks around quickly. Most of the area was blocked off, but there was a balcony with the rail broken, if they could get up there.

 

“Think we could boost the girls up there?” Anthony asks Ivan. Ivan looks at it closely before smirking.

 

“Come on Ches.” He walks over to the broken piece of railing, and Ches follows, allowing Ivan to boost her up.

 

“Holy shit.” Ches says upon reaching the top of the balcony, right before she darts out of view. Balo isn’t sure what the girl is seeing, she couldn’t see anything from down here.

 

“Ches?” Ivan questions, but the girl doesn’t answer and Balo can’t help the twinge of fear she feels.

 

“Boost me up. I’ll go help her.” Balo says. Ivan shakes his head.

 

“There was no fear in that holy shit.” He points out, as he boosts her up. “Although Ches isn’t one to run off without telling us where.”

 

Once Balo is up, she can see what Ches is looking at. “Guys, you need to see this.” She tells the boys, going to stand by the window with Ches. Outside the window was a beautiful creature with a long neck and almost orange spots. “What is it?” She whispers to Ches.

 

“A giraffe. I’ve only ever seen drawings.” Ches whispers back. The giraffe starts to move away and Ches takes Balo’s hand. “Come on, let’s follow them!” She starts to move and Balo lets herself be dragged away by the girl, too in awe to question if the boys could follow them.

 

“Ches? Balo?” Ivan calls.

 

“Over here!” Balo calls back out of instinct. Ches drops her hand, just heading in the direction the giraffes were heading in while Balo waited for the boys.

 

“Where’s Ches?” Ivan questions, as Anthony makes his way over to Balo, checking her over quickly.

 

“She’s following the giraffes.” Balo admits, “she went that way.” She points in the direction the girl went in and Ivan runs off in that direction.

 

“Giraffes?” Anthony echos and Balo nods.

 

“Anthony, you have to come see this. They’re beautiful.” She tells him taking his hand and leading him in the direction that Ches and Ivan were heading in. He lets her lead the way, holding onto her hand the whole time.

 

The sight the two walk in on is nothing sort of magnificent. Ches is petting a giraffe, Ivan right besides her, smiling.

 

“Aren’t you beautiful?” Ches whispers, “B, come here, you have to feel this.”

 

The girl lets go of Anthony’s hand hesitantly, tip toeing over to the giraffe and touching it gently.

 

“Ohmygosh.” She whispers to Ches, it was clear now that she was close to Ches, the girl was crying. It wasn’t the type of tears she had seen after Ivan had gotten hurt, Ches was smiling. “This is amazing.” 

 

The giraffe goes to leave, and the two girls move their hands away, letting the creature walk away. Balo goes over to walk to Anthony, smiling at him, barely noticing Ches hug Ivan out of the corner of her eye.

 

“I pet a giraffe.” She whispers, smiling. “Wasn’t it beautiful?” She asks as Anthony smiles back at her.

 

“It was.” He tells her, and from the way he’s looking at her? Balo had a slight feeling he wasn’t talking about the giraffe. Before she can do anything however, Ivan interrupts.

 

“I think I can see the best way to get to the hospital from here.” He tells them, and Balo sighs, turning her gaze from Anthony and pushing aside the urge to kiss him.

 

“Alright, let’s go.”

 

\--

 

Crossing the city wasn’t easy, there were infected everywhere, and signs that this was yet another quarantine zone that had been abandoned at some point. Balo couldn’t help but hope Boston had survived, after all the stories and things she had saw.

 

She was starting to have doubts her home city was safe from military fickleness, given the amount of abandoned zones she had seen and heard of.

 

But they were finally in sight of the hospital. That had to mean something, there were lights everywhere, and Balo and Ches were in the front of the group when they’re ambushed.

 

The ambushers were clearly Fireflies and they knock Ches out quickly, Balo is hesitant to pull out her gun, these were the people she was trying to find - surely she shouldn’t shoot them.

  
She doesn’t have to make a decision however, as Grace comes out.

 

“Stop! They’re friendly.” Her sister tells her soldiers quickly, turning to Balo. “I can’t believe you’re alive.”

 

She honestly seemed shocked and Balo shrugs.

 

“I’m a Driskell, isn’t survive what we do?” She questions, and the woman gives her a grin.

 

“That it is. I’m sorry about your… friend. They weren’t aware of who you were.” She tells the group as Anthony and Ivan catch up. She honestly doesn’t sound sorry, and Balo narrows her eyes at her sister.

 

“What happened?” Ivan questions, as he leans down to pick an unconscious Ches up off the ground holding her in his arms. Balo turns to check on the two quickly, but Grace grabs her arm, starting to drag her away.

 

“Come on, we need to do some tests. Ivan and the other one has her.” Grace turns to her staff. “Lead them to one of the rooms, I’ll come find them to discuss things after I get Balian settled in.” 

 

She shoots Anthony a helpless glance as her sister drags her into the building. “What kinds of test?” She questions and Grace smiles.

 

“Good ones. Don’t worry, you’ll be out the whole time.” She assures her, leading her to a table. Balo wasn’t sure she liked the sound of that, but Grace was her sister, she’d never hurt her.

 

At least, that’s what she told herself as Grace came back with doctors, and they put the mask over her face.

 

Grace wouldn’t hurt her, she reminded herself as she fell asleep. She’d see Anthony soon, she just knew it.

  
  



	14. Stay With Me a Little Longer (I Will Wait for You)

 

Ches doesn’t like the amount of light that’s there when she wakes up, her head was pounding, and Ivan wasn’t there when she tries to cuddle closer to him. So when she realizes what is actually going on when she wakes up, well, it’s needless to say she’s pissed.

 

“What do you mean Grace took Balo away for testing?” She demands, glaring at the soldier that is standing by the door. “I want to see her.”

 

Ivan moves to sit next to her in the bed, trying to get her to calm down, but there would be no calming down.

 

Part of her new family was missing, and no one was giving her answers.

 

Anthony doesn’t seem to feel anything in Balo’s absence, the mask that had slowly been going down with all of them was up in full force. A blonde woman walks into the room, and she can see some resemblance to Balo - not much - but some.

 

“Sit down, all of you, we need to talk.” Grace tells them

 

“I’d rather stand.” Anthony says, and Grace shrugs.

 

“Suit yourself.” She tells him.

 

“Can we see Balo?” Ches asks, her desperation must show because Grace gives her a look that almost seems sympathetic.

 

“I’m sorry. She’s being prepped for surgery.” Grace tells them.

 

“Surgery?” Anthony’s questions, eyes narrowed. “What surgery?”

 

“The doctors told me the cordyceps, the growth inside her, has somehow mutated. It’s why she’s immune. Once they remove it, they’ll be able to reverse engineer a vaccine.” Grace tells them, “do you have any idea how long we’ve waited for this?”

 

“But it grows all over the brain.” The words slip out of her mouth before she can stop them, and Grace nods.

 

“It does.” She admits.

 

“Find someone else.” Ches says, Anthony narrows his eyes at her, as if expecting her to give him out in exchange for Balo. As if that would ever happen. “There has to be someone else, find them. Let us take Balo home, please?”

 

Grace shakes her head, “there is no one else. Whatever you three think you’re going through, is nothing compared to what I’ve been though. That is my little sister. I knew her since she was born, I promised our father I’d look after her.”

 

“Then why are you letting this happen?” Ivan asks, Grace shakes her head.

 

“You of all people should see there’s no other choice here.” She scowls.

 

“You keep telling yourself that bullshit.” Ches snaps at her, and Grace turns to the soldier at the door.

 

“March them out of here, if they try anything, shoot them. Don’t waste this gift, Ivan.” Grace leaves the room, and the man points his gun at them.

 

“Get up.” He barks. Ivan gets up, and Ches follows his lead, glaring at the man the whole time. He’s too busy paying attention to Ches and Ivan to realize that Anthony is about to grab him, until Anthony has his gun and him pushed against the wall, gun pressed to his balls.

 

“Where is the operating room?” Anthony asks, the man doesn’t answer immediately. “You know what, I don’t have time for this.” Ches winces at the sound of the gunshot. “Where?” When the man doesn’t answer, another gunshot goes off.

 

“Top floor, far end.” The man croaks, and Anthony lets him go. He slips to the floor, and Anthony shoots him in the head.

 

“What the fuck, Anthony?” Ches asks, moving to grab her bow from the table.

 

“You should have saw what Ivan did to get you back.” Anthony tells her darkly, she raises an eyebrow at her lover, but before she can ask him what the fuck, he speaks.

 

“I’d do it again.” Ivan said, clearly not ashamed by his voice. Ches just hands him his weapons.

 

“We’ll discuss this after we get Balo back. Now let’s move, before they investigate the gunshots.”

 

\--

 

The three fight tooth and nail, but they finally make it to the top floor, making a mad dash for the sign that said operating room. They had to reach Balo. There was no question about it. It was easy to find said room, and as they enter the first room between the hallway and the actual operating room, Ches reloads her gun. 

 

“Doll?” Ivan questions, and Ches shrugs.

 

“It’s quiet right now.” She says, shrugging as they open the door. Balo is still alive and unharmed, asleep on the table. A surgeon goes to grab a scalpel.

 

“I’m not going to let you take her.” The man tells them, “think of all the lives we could save.”

 

Ches shoots him before he can start to rant about how many lives they could save with a vaccine.

 

“You fucking monster.” A man comes towards her, and Ivan shoots him, turning his gun to the third doctor just in case she was about to try anything.

 

Ches turns when she hears a loud beeping, glancing to Anthony as he removed the machines from Balo and carefully picks her up. “Guys, we gotta move.” She tells them, noticing the lights coming towards them.

 

And they do, dodging gunshots and lights as they make a dash to any exit they can get to. “There’s an elevator at the end of the hall.” Ches says when she spots it, and Anthony goes towards it, Ches right on his heels with Ivan right behind her.

 

“Stop!” A man screams as they push the button to go down to the parking lot, and Ches raises an eyebrow.

 

“How is she?” Ivan asks, “I can take her if you-”

 

“No.” Anthony says quickly, “I’ve got her.” He’s holding Balo close, protectively. 

 

“You love her.” Ches realizes. She doesn’t realize she’s said it out loud however, until Ivan comments on the fact.

 

“What?” Ivan questions, did he not see it? Or was he refusing to believe it? Probably the second in all honesty, knowing Ivan. There was no way that fact slipped her genius’s eyes.

 

“You love her. I knew she loves you, but she never mentioned you return the feelings.” Ches repeats the words, her eyes not leaving Anthony and Balo. Anthony holds the girl tighter.

 

“I didn’t tell her.” He admits, and she smiles.   
  


“She’ll be so happy to know.” She tells him, “she’s absolutely adores the ground you walk on.” She turns to look towards the elevator, elbowing the emergency button as the three exit the elevator.

 

“You can’t take her.” 

 

Ches turns around, pointing her gun at Grace, who continues to speak. “Even if you get her out of here, then what? How long until she’s torn apart by infected? Or she’s raped and murdered.” Ches steps closer to Ivan out of instinct when Grace says the words and Grace smirks grows, “The world out there isn’t safe, you three should realize that by now.”

 

“That’s not for you to decide.” Anthony tells her..

 

“It’s what she wants, and you know it.” She tells them . “Look, you can still do the right thing here. She won’t feel anything.” She extends her hands in a peace offering.

 

Before anyone could respond however, a gunshot goes off and Ches looks to Ivan in shock, quickly to realize it was Anthony who shot her.

 

“Please, let me go.” Grace whispers, and Anthony shifts Balo gently, shooting Grace in the head.

 

“I’ll go find us a car.” Ches excuses herself, looking around and finding a car that will seat them with the keys in it in a matter of moments. She opens the back door for Anthony, handing Ivan the keys before looping around to sit in the front seat.

 

“Ches, you okay?” Ivan questions as he sits down

 

“Why wouldn’t I be?” She asks, her voice cracking a bit. “We have Balo, we can discuss my mental health after we’re far away from here.”

 

He latches his seat belt, and Ches follows suit, glancing back to see Anthony already in the backseat, Balo’s head on his lap.

 

Ivan takes her hand as he drives off, and Ches squeezes it gently, thankful to hear a cd she knows is in the radio as they drive off.

 

She could sing along, and pretend everything was alright until Balo woke up. Sure, it really wasn’t okay currently, but pretending would be nice.

 

She could be upset later after she was certain Balo was going to be okay and they were far away from Salt Lake City.


	15. We're Gonna Make This Place Our Home

Balo’s head was so groggy when she opens her eyes, Anthony is stroking her hair, and she’s wearing a blue paper gown. “Anthony?” She questions, moving her hand to touch his cheek as she tried to process everything that had happened. “What happened?”

 

“We found the Fireflies.” Ivan answers, and Balo smiles.

 

“So they’re working on a cure? Wish Gracie had said goodbye.” She whispers, stroking Anthony’s cheek. “Guess she would have tried to make me stay if she had though, and then we would have to be rude and turn down the offer to stay, because the man I love more than anything else in the world deserves to be with his cousin and happy.” She smiles, “you’re so great, Anthony, you know that, right? I love you so so so so much.” It takes her a few minutes to realize she just told Anthony she loved him for the first time, but she takes no move to take it back. Why would she?

 

Anthony is smiling back at her, and he had put his hand over hers.

 

“I love you too, B.” He promises and she grins wider.

 

“You love me? Ches, did you just hear that? Anthony Wilson loves me!” She had never been happier to hear any words in her life, and he chuckles as Ches turns her head to glance at them.

 

“I did, congrats, B. You two both deserve to be happy.” Ches winks at Anthony as she says the words and Balo nods.

 

“Yes! We’re going to Alan’s right? So Anthony can be happy? And you two can get married, and we can be neighbors! I’d say housemates but I’m totally not going to be sneaking around with Anthony anymore if he loves me.” She smiles.

 

“That was you sneaking around?” Ches asks, clearly amused.

 

“Yes! We were so sneaky! Right, Anthony?” She flutters her eyelashes at Anthony as she smiles.

 

“No, you weren’t.” Ivan tells them. She frowns at the words, sitting up slowly.

 

“I thought we were.” She whines.

 

“I think we were pretty sneaky too.” Anthony says, and Ches laughs.

 

“Anthony, you’re sneaky in everything other than sneaking to Balo’s room. Pretty sure you two broke her bed the one night when we were still in Silverlake and that's why you started sneaking her into your room.” Ches tells them, Balo can feel the blood rush to her face and she lets out a little squeak.

 

“You know about that?” She burrows her face in Anthony’s shoulder quickly.

 

“I feel like we should end this conversation before I shoot Anthony in the foot.” Ivan tells them, clearly not pleased to hear about her late night escapades with Anthony.

 

“Sorry handsome.” Ches says, leaning back in her seat. Balo lets out a small little yawn.

 

“You can lay back down if you’re tired.” Anthony whispers, and Balo nods, smiling.

 

“Love you Anthony, you’re so good to me.” She yawns, laying back down and resting her head on his lap. She falls asleeps quickly, Anthony going back to stroking her hair gently, almost as if saying “I’m here.”

 

Maybe he was.

 

\--

 

It actually wasn’t a long drive to Jackson from Salt Lake City, they only stop a couple of times, to get supplies and to get Balo dressed in some actual clothes. But they’re there relatively soon, the car breaking down not too far away from the town, and Balo looks around the forest.

 

“It’s so pretty here.” She whispers to Anthony, “Do you think Alan will be happy to see us?” She asks, and he smiles.

 

“I think he will be.” He agrees, taking her hand. She squeezes it.

 

Ches was looking over a ledge, at the river. “It really is nice.” She agrees, looking over to Ivan and walking away from the ledge. “Shall we?” She asks Ivan.

 

Ivan smiles. “We shall.” He agrees, and the four start to follow the sign to Jackson, leaving the car behind and heading for the settlement. They walk through the forest for a bit, eventually coming to an overlook where they could see Alan’s settlement. It was lit up, Alan clearly wasn’t lying about the electricity.

 

“Guys, before we go there, can I talk to you about something?” Balo asks, and the other three members of the group stop, turning to look at her.

 

“What’s up?” Ivan questions.

 

“I wasn’t alone, when I was bitten. I was with my best friend, Izzy.” She admits, “She was so poetic, let’s lose our minds together.” She frowns, “She was the first to die, and then there was Veles, and Effie and Jonah…”

 

“It’s not your fault.” Ches says quickly, walking over and squeezing the hand Anthony wasn’t holding.

 

“How do you do it, Ches? So much bad stuff has happened and yet you keep fighting…” She questions, Ches hesitates a moment before she answers.

 

“I find something to survive for. You have all became a sort of family to me, and I’m not leaving you.” She admits, “it was hard, after Jonah and Effie died - I didn’t really have much to hold on to, other than trying to help you get to the Fireflies, and then I started to care for all of you - and I found a reason to be here.” She squeezes Balo’s hand again. “Good things are coming, B, I can feel it.”

 

Balo nods, and the girl lets go of her hand, walking over to Ivan and kissing his cheek.

 

“Okay, that was it, let’s go home?” Balo suggests, and Ches grins.

 

“I’ll race you!” Ches tells them, darting off, and as they make their way down to the town, Balo has a feeling that Ches is right about the good things coming.

 

How couldn’t they? After all, they were all alive, sure bad things had occurred, but she knew what they said. It was always darkest before the dawn.

 

And from what she could see, it was sunshine from here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you read this all in one go, please go take care of whatever you need to do, if it's sleep, eating, drinking, etc. I appreciate you so much for reading this! ♥


	16. Pay No Mind to the Demons (Epilogue)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am going to be honest, I’ve had this posted over in the story blog for this fic over on Tumblr for about a year. Archive of Our Own truly isn’t my biggest priority when it comes to fic posting (it gives me a bit of anxiety posting over here) but I’m going to try to post here more often. So I figured this would be a good first step as I try to figure out what other fics I want to post over here, etc.

#### Ches’s POV

Ches had a feeling if anyone ruined Balo’s wedding the whole town would be outraged. She was well loved, there was no doubt about that. Ches glances at her dress, frowning in the mirror at her growing stomach.  
  
“You’re beautiful.” Ivan comes up behind her, touching her pregnant stomach gently as he plants a kiss on the top of her head.  
  
“I’m fat, and Kil found a camera on his last run. There’s going to be pictures of today.” She frowns, Ivan shakes his head.  
  
“You’re beautiful, and pregnant.” Ivan points out, “and Balo is very eager for today.”  
  
Ches nods, pulling herself away from the mirror so she wouldn’t think of her stomach much longer. She usually loved her pregnancy, and the child she was carrying was especially well loved by her, but there would be a camera.  
  
She wasn’t sure how she felt about that.  
  
“Today will be amazing.” She tells him, although it is mostly for herself. “I’m excited for Balo and Anthony.” That wasn’t a lie, the excitement for her best friend was real. Anthony made Balo happy, and after the journey all of them went on.

She was beyond happy for the two.  
  
“Remember our wedding day?” Ivan questions, smiling. It hadn’t been long ago, after Ches found out about her pregnancy, well, she felt the proper thing was to get married before she was showing. Nobody questioned the speed of Ches changing her mind on marriage in all honesty, and she was thankful for that fact.  
  
“I never thought we would be this domestic.” Ches admits, putting her hair up quickly. “I mean after everything that happened? I am thankful for this.”  
  
“I know.” Ivan agrees, “come on, we can’t be late.” He had a very valid point, after all, it was Balo’s wedding.  
  
“Let’s go then!” Ches grabs his hand, dragging him out the door. There were children playing in the streets of the town, protected by electrified fences surrounding the settlement. Jackson was home, she had no doubt about that.  
  
If only Jonah and Effie could see this. She knew they would have loved it here, and they would have found electricity amazing. But she would have never fell for Ivan if they had survived, and while she missed them every single day of her life, she knew they were safe with Logan now.  
  
“Ten minutes until the wedding” Someone calls, and everyone starts running towards the church. Ches leads Ivan to the front, everyone letting the two pass as they make their way inside. She was the maid of honor, after all.  
  
Balo smiles at the redhead as she makes her way to the front of the room. She was gorgeous in white, and her smile lit up the room as always, no doubt about that.  
  
“You look gorgeous.” Ches says tells the bride, smiling at her. Balo pulls her in for a hug, holding her tightly.  
  
“Thank you! This is really happening!” Balo was bubbling with excitement, and Ches couldn’t help but feel excitement for the girl too. After everything Balo deserved to be happy. Ches had no doubt about that, and it had been a long time coming, it had been five years since they settled in Jackson.  
  
“It is! I am so happy for you!” Ches agrees, and in this moment, she didn’t regret the choice Ivan, Anthony, and her made to save her. No cure was worth losing this smile to Ches.  
  
“I just hope Anthony likes my dress.” Balo whispers, “he couldn’t see it, obviously, and what if he doesn’t like it?” She genuinely seemed concern about the dress, and Ches frowns a little. Balo had no reason to be concerned, Anthony loved her. The walls that were up for most of the world were clearly down for Balo.  
  
“He’s going to love it, I promise.” Ches assures the blonde, and when Balo smiles at her, Ches knows that she said the right thing. There’s a sound of a bell, and Ches moves into position smiling at Alan as he comes to the front to start the ceremony.  
  
  
  
\--  
  


#### Balo’s POV 

Balo smiles, please with how the day was going. Of course, the day could have been a total disaster if it had wanted to, all that mattered to her was the fact she got to marry Anthony. But the day hadn’t been a total disaster, it had been absolutely amazing, more so than she could ever imagine.

She was now Mrs. Wilson. The words felt so nice on her ears, and she honestly had to admit she couldn’t stop smiling as she stood hand and hand with her husband. Not that she wanted to stop smiled, she was now married to her absolute favorite person, and that was the best feeling.

Balo smiles over at Ches when she spies her in the crowd. The redhead was absolutely beautiful, and Balo was truly thankful the girl had entered their lives. Ches was the best friend Balo could ever ask for, and she had no doubt that the little niece or nephew that was going to come into the world soon was going to be well loved.

Balo looks back over to Anthony, smiling at him. “I love you.” She tells him, and he squeeze her hand.

“I love you too.” He promises, bringing so much joy to her heart.

And for once in the world, everything felt right.


End file.
